Is it Abstract or Nonrepresentational? What’s the Difference?

I know a lot of you already know this but many people don/t so I thought a little lesson might be in order.

Almost all of both of these are generally referred to as Abstract art but some of it isn’t.  I think it's okay to call it all Abstract, after all Nonrepresentational is a mouthfull; however, we should know the difference.

There is an easy distinction, Abstract is always connected to something visual from the real world.  Flowers, landscapes, even people are often subjects in abstracts.

Nonrepresentational art is exactly that -- it doesn't represent anything.  It actually takes skill to produce and I’m working at developing that skill. It ain’t easy!  

An easy way to tell the difference, if it begins to look like something it's abstract.  Think about these two famous artists; Picasso’s work is Abstract, Jackson Pollock’s is Nonrepresentational.

Here are a couple examples from my own work.  These two paintings are Abstract –

And this one which was intended to be Nonrepresentational but it became an Abstract Seascape —

These two are Nonrepresentational –

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!