Why Does Abstract Painting Still Feel Like Guessing?
What You Will Learn:
Whether you're just getting started or you've been painting for years, this free workshop will show you the foundational principles behind abstract painting—so you can stop second-guessing every decision and start creating work with confidence.
- Why some abstract paintings feel cohesive and compelling while others fall flat
- The foundational principles that make abstract painting easier to understand
- How to make confident decisions about color, composition, and design
- A simple framework that replaces guessing with clarity
FREE WORKSHOP
Stop guessing your way through abstract painting
You've always been drawn to abstract painting.
Maybe you've already painted quite a bit but still can't explain why some paintings work and others don't.
Or maybe you're just beginning to explore abstraction and feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice online.
You've watched tutorials.
Saved inspiration.
Tried techniques.
Started paintings full of excitement.
And somewhere along the way, you've found yourself wondering:
"How do abstract artists know what to do next?"
Here's the truth:
Most abstract painting instruction teaches techniques.
Very little teaches the principles behind those techniques.
That's why so many painters feel stuck.
They're trying to follow steps without understanding why those steps work.
When you understand the principles behind color, composition, and design, abstract painting becomes much less mysterious.
You stop relying on luck.
You stop copying what everyone else is doing.
And you start making decisions with confidence.
That's exactly what I'll show you in this workshop.
If you’re here, my guess is:
I stare at a blank canvas and freeze—I don’t know where to begin.
I hear you - and you know what? Some of the most groundbreaking artists never went to art school. Art is about expressing yourself, not about credentials. I started as a self-taught artist too (and so did Van Gogh), and that's exactly why I know what tools and techniques will help you develop your unique style. The only 'permission' you need to paint is your own desire to create.
I didn’t go to art school… so who am I to call myself an artist?
Many of us started as representational painters - I did too! That's actually a strength, not a weakness. I've developed specific techniques that help you naturally transition from realistic to abstract work, letting go of perfectionism while keeping your unique artistic voice. The shift feels surprisingly natural once you know the right approach.
I know how to paint realistically—but I have no idea how to loosen up and find my own voice.
Is this you?
I completely understand - that blank canvas can feel overwhelming! But here's the good news: I've developed a step-by-step approach that takes the mystery out of starting abstracts. And those muddy colors? That's actually one of the easiest problems to solve. I'll show you exactly what to do to avoid mud!
"you have given me the gift of freedom through abstraction!"
"I now have concrete foundational skills and principles that have really built my confidence"
Andrea has such a generous spirit and shares her wealth of knowledge and experience in ways that really help you grow as an artist. After taking this class, I feel like I now have concrete foundational skills and principles that have really built my confidence.
Your course was presented to me at the right time and right place. I still enjoy realism, however, now I understand realism and abstraction can be combined-or-I can paint either one separately. I will tell you, you have given me the gift of freedom through abstraction!
Jean Morrow
Alexia Lewnes
I created this training because I kept seeing the same thing over and over...
People who were excited about abstract painting—but weren't getting the results they wanted.
Some were just getting started and felt overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice online.
Others had been painting for years and still felt like they were guessing their way through the process.
Not because they weren't creative. Not because they lacked talent.
But because no one had shown them the underlying structure that makes abstraction actually work.
I'm Andrea Cermanski—an abstract painter, gallery-represented artist, and someone who has spent nearly 30 years in the studio and over 20 years teaching.
I built Santa Fe Painting Workshops on a simple conviction: Abstract painting isn't mysterious—it's misunderstood.
Most instruction shows you what to do. I teach you why it works.
Because when you understand the principles behind composition, color, and design, painting stops feeling like guesswork—and starts becoming a process you can trust.
My approach is structured, clear, and rooted in real studio experience. Not theory. Not fluff. Just the principles that actually move your work forward.
And what I see happen again and again is this: Students stop second-guessing themselves.
They understand what to do when they face a blank canvas.
They make decisions with more confidence.
They create paintings they're proud of.
And they begin to trust their own artistic voice.
I don't hold anything back.
Every technique, every hard-won lesson from decades in the studio and the gallery world is on the table—because access to an experienced eye changes everything.
And that's exactly what I'm here to give you.
Andrea Cermanski
About your instructor
