Barbara Sternberger | Continuum

The abstract, colorful paint marks of Barbara Sternberger, on mostly white backgrounds, maintain a sense of mystery. The painter, now almost 70, still works spontaneously without plan or reference in mind, except perhaps for the abstract words she uses, words like “emanating” and “pathways.” “Start with color, don’t start with form,” she says in a YouTube explainer video. “I scoop it up, slop it on, then wipe it off,” says the artist, as she fights against anything preconceived or too figurative.