of 40+ Years & Founder of the Art with Adele Academy

Professional abstract
artist

About Adele Sypesteyn

Adele casually smiling wearing a yellow dress
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Sections of aged and decrepit walls, floors, and other features found both inside and outside of buildings act as my inspiration. Repetition of architectural forms and random markings evoke a feeling of time gone by, and the weathering of lived-in spaces.

Repetition of architectural forms and random markings evoke a feeling of time gone by, as well as the weathering of lived-in spaces.

As an abstract painter, sculptor, and photographer, my work is distinguished by multiple layers of eroded surfaces with texture, color, and pattern: all influenced by my time growing up in New Orleans. 

“A feeling of time gone by.”

Adele painting abstract art with vibrant colors
A collection of shapes
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Adele sitting at her office desk drinking coffee

Although I have formally studied art in my earlier years, my approach has developed into an intuitive process of dialogue with the painting. The joy of discovering new and unexpected color dynamics continues to keep me engaged.

“An intuitive process of dialogue with the painting”

Ann Poulson

“There are a lot, A LOT, of artists giving advice on the internet and running courses. You stand head and shoulders above this crowd because of who you are: joyful, passionate, inspiring, supportive, and relatable.”

Linda Blazonis

“You are exactly the type of instructor I needed. In many years of study and practice I have never come across someone as affirming and forgiving AND willing to share her art secrets.”

Liz Shockley 

“For the first time I am able to relax and create, and I have no expectations and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Your courses excite me to try new things and I have learned so much from them.”

testimonials

A pattern of shapes

My latest group of paintings are mostly neutral, with pops of color. My focus is on mark-making and value, with attention given to bringing the viewer’s eye around the canvas in a very disciplined way. 

Abstract painting with muted tones of taupe with a pop of yellow and coral

Continuing to explore structure, I would divide the painting into sections and design each section as if it were an old worn area in a house. My love for this style of painting lasted many years.

Abstract painting of various blocks of textures

I call these paintings my “Color Field” series. Here I began to divide the canvas into horizontal bands of color while adding interesting marks inside of each. 


Abstract painting with shades of blue

This painting style developed from trying to simplify the composition and design. 

I found this style when I took close-up photos of my work and discovered that I liked those close-ups better than the original paintings..

Abstract painting with blocks of shades of blue and taupe

For my first real series of abstract paintings that sold on a regular basis, I worked on a large piece of illustration board. It needed to be flattened overnight to keep from curling. I used acrylic paints, china markers, and collage (materials I still use in my paintings now). 

Abstract painting with acrylics with leaning strokes

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A brief timeline of my work as an abstract artist from 1998-2023

My Art Through the Decades

From landscapes to trees. From graphic florals to neutral florals. From realistic chairs within a worn interior to sculpture (including abstract wood columns on an acrylic base). My work as an abstract artist can’t be contained within one genre.

Across Decades, Across Genres

For many years, I would go to the grocery store and flip through magazines on the shelves: looking for photos of my art in design magazines like Southern Home, House Beautiful, and Veranda. More often than not, I would find them printed on those glossy pages.

Not one person who has bought my paintings has ever asked to see my official art school credentials. But if you’re wondering about my art education, I attended Tulane University in New Orleans, Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, and Washington University in St. Louis.

I was once commissioned to create a 17-foot painting for the Ace Hotel in New Orleans. When I took my grandkids to see it installed, I noticed that it had been hung upside down. (Just goes to show that art “rules” were made to be broken.)

Out of art school, my first job was working at a boat company in New Orleans as a draftsman. I was the only female in an all-male engineering department, creating ink-and-pencil drawings.

Adele walking on patio wearing paint covered artist smock
Adele walking in overgrown garden carrying large abstract painting

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Little-known facts about me 

A Born Abstract Artist

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Adele painting abstract art with vibrant colors
Collage of colored paper