Jane Davies Art Blog: Abstract Painting, Colour, and the Creative Process

Jane Davies is one of the most thoughtful and articulate educators working in abstract painting, offering a blog, online courses, and workshops that explore colour, mark-making, and the creative process with a depth and philosophical seriousness that is rare in online art education. Based in Vermont, Davies has been teaching abstract painting for more than two decades, and her approach reflects a genuine engagement with the specific challenges and rewards of working in abstraction.

The blog at janedaviesart.com has been running since 2005 and has accumulated an extraordinary archive of posts covering colour theory, mark-making, the creative process, and the specific challenges of developing a personal artistic voice in abstract painting. This archive is one of the most comprehensive free resources available for abstract painters who want to deepen their understanding of the medium and their own practice.

The Abstract Painting Focus

Davies's focus on abstract painting is one of the most distinctive aspects of her teaching. Abstract painting presents specific challenges that are different from representational painting, including the challenge of making compositional and colour decisions without the guidance of a subject, the challenge of developing a personal visual language, and the challenge of knowing when a painting is finished without the reference point of a recognisable subject.

Davies addresses these challenges directly and honestly, drawing on her own extensive experience as an abstract painter and on her deep knowledge of colour theory and compositional principles. Her instruction is grounded in genuine engagement with the specific difficulties of abstract painting rather than in generic advice that could apply to any medium or approach.

The personal voice is a central concern of Davies's teaching, reflecting her conviction that the most important goal of artistic development is not the mastery of specific techniques but the development of a distinctive personal approach that reflects the individual artist's sensibility and concerns. Her instruction consistently encourages artists to explore their own responses to colour, form, and mark-making rather than to imitate the approaches of other artists.

The Colour Theory Content

Colour theory is one of the strongest areas of Davies's blog and courses, with a depth and specificity that reflects her genuine expertise in this area. Her colour instruction goes beyond the basic principles of colour relationships to address the specific ways in which colour functions in abstract painting, including the emotional and psychological effects of different colour combinations, the management of colour temperature and value in abstract compositions, and the specific approaches to colour that characterise different abstract painting traditions.

The colour instruction is grounded in direct observation and experimentation rather than in abstract theory, encouraging artists to develop their colour knowledge through direct engagement with paint rather than through theoretical study alone. Davies's exercises and assignments consistently involve making and observing colour relationships directly, building a practical colour knowledge that is immediately applicable to painting.

The Mark-Making Content

Mark-making is another central concern of Davies's teaching, reflecting her understanding that the specific marks an artist makes are one of the most important expressions of their personal voice. Her instruction on mark-making covers the full range of tools and approaches used in abstract painting, from conventional brushes through unconventional tools including palette knives, sponges, and found objects.

The mark-making instruction encourages artists to explore the full range of marks available to them and to develop a personal vocabulary of marks that reflects their individual sensibility. Davies's exercises consistently involve experimentation with different tools and approaches, building a repertoire of marks that can be drawn on in the painting process.

The Online Courses

Davies's online courses provide more structured and in-depth instruction than the free blog content, covering specific aspects of abstract painting in the depth that a full course allows. The courses reflect the same exploratory, process-focused approach that characterises the blog, with assignments that encourage experimentation and personal exploration rather than the reproduction of specific techniques.

The courses are available through Davies's website and are priced accessibly, reflecting her commitment to making her instruction available to artists who are serious about developing their abstract painting practice. The courses include video demonstrations, written instruction, and assignments that guide students through a structured exploration of specific aspects of abstract painting.

The Workshop Teaching

Davies's workshops are held at her Vermont studio and at other locations, providing intensive in-person instruction for artists who want to develop their abstract painting practice with direct guidance. The workshops are highly regarded in the abstract painting community, and they reflect the same depth and philosophical seriousness that characterises Davies's online teaching.

The workshop format allows for the kind of direct, responsive instruction that is difficult to replicate online, with Davies able to observe students' work directly and provide specific feedback on the particular challenges each student is facing. The workshop community also provides a valuable context for learning, with students benefiting from observing each other's work and from the shared experience of working through the challenges of abstract painting together.

The Bottom Line

Jane Davies is one of the most thoughtful and articulate educators working in abstract painting, offering a blog, online courses, and workshops that explore colour, mark-making, and the creative process with a depth and philosophical seriousness that is genuinely valuable for abstract painters who want to develop their practice beyond technical competence. For artists who are working in abstraction and who want to develop a deeper understanding of colour, mark-making, and personal voice, Davies's blog and courses are among the most valuable and intellectually serious resources available.