Introduction to Abstract Painting

Unleash your creativity and explore the world of abstract art in a supportive and inspiring environment.

This course offers an introduction to different approaches to making abstract paintings. Develop your skills in using a range of painting tools and techniques and familiarise yourself with the work of some of the most prominent abstract artists as you explore the use of colour, composition, tone and paint application.

Each session is 3 hours long, allowing ample time for in-depth exploration and hands-on practice. You’ll be encouraged to develop your own artistic style and voice through experimenting with a range of mediums and tools to create dynamic abstract compositions.

Tutor Maria will guide you through a series of structured exercises designed to help you unlock your creative potential and access your intuition and provide personalised feedback and guidance at each session. You will learn through a combination of demonstrations, hands-on practice, group discussion and individualised feedback.

By the end of the 5-week course, you will have gained a general understanding of abstract art principles and techniques, advanced your own artistic style, and produced a portfolio of original abstract work.

Week 1: Introduction to Abstract Art Principles

Week 2: Exploring Colour Theory and Composition

Week 3: Experimenting with different techniques and textures

Week 4: Developing your personal style

Week 5: Final projects and portfolio review

Tutor Maria Masullo is an abstract painter, university lecturer and therapist based in Leicester. She works with the therapeutic potential of art as a mode of healing and connection to nature and to the Self. Her work is focused on texture and colour as expressive devices, which she utilises to translate emotional material and spiritual experiences into artistic abstraction. The sacredness of nature is a strong theme in Maria’s work. Her choice of concepts and materials is informed by traditional herbal medicine, yoga philosophy, esoteric anatomy, and ritual. Foraged medicinal herbs, oils, resins, and other natural materials are incorporated into her work, bringing it closer to the Earth and to the process of creation.

Maria has exhibited in various galleries in London, including Saatchi Gallery, and published in various art publications. To find out more about her art, visit www.mariamasullo.com

All materials are provided.

Participants must be aged 18+.

This 5-week course will run on Monday mornings, 10am-1pm, starting on 7 October with the final session on 4 November 2024.

Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable in some circumstances.

We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome – just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email arts-centre@le.ac.uk, pop in or call 0116 252 2455, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road. The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us.