This month we’re featuring Roberta Abel for the Capitol Hill Art League’s Mind of the Artist feature. Read their story and check out their beautiful artwork below.

I am an abstract painter. I work with acrylic and cold wax/oil paint. Some of my works are inspired by the natural world with vibrant colors and organic forms. Others derive from visions of the human-made world. I also enjoy expressing abstract ideas such as doubt, justice, chaos, and ancient times. 

I am an intuitive painter—the best things happen when I respond with an open attitude during the creative process and allow the painting to unfold. Painting involves making many decisions along the way; some are conscious and others evolve on their own.

I became an artist after I retired from teaching ESL and working as a children’s librarian. I was fascinated by the beautiful illustrations in children’s picture books. For the last few years, I have been taking abstract acrylic classes at the Torpedo Factory. I recently took a five-day workshop in cold wax and oil painting to expand the skills in my toolkit. Experimenting boldly with new techniques, traveling widely, and learning from a variety of teachers and colleagues inspired me to keep developing as an artist.