Abstract art can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be, according to a group of UWindsor arts students who will lead a tour of relevant exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Windsor on Friday, January 27.

MFA students Amanda White, Bruce Thompson, Lydia Burggraaf, Meghan Krauss and Riaz Mehmood promise to empower participants to interpret abstract art.

“Building up from short exercises in a classroom setting to activities that directly engage with the work in the gallery setting, we will attempt to apply a variety of conventional skills to the somewhat daunting concepts behind colour field painting,” says Krauss. “We will demonstrate that everyone is capable of understanding abstract art using his or her own intuition and existing knowledge.”

Participants are encouraged to wear their favourite colour and come prepared to engage physically, emotionally and mentally in a number of group activities.

The tour runs 7 to 8 p.m.; the Art Gallery of Windsor is located at 401 Riverside Drive West. Admission is free to workshop attendees; register in advance by e-mailing abstractAGW@gmail.com.