Abstract art - any art in which real objects in nature are represented in a way that wholly or partially neglects their true appearance and expresses it in a form of sometimes unrecognizable patterns of lines, colors and shapes.

Abstract expressionism - a style and movement of non-representational painting where artists apply paint quickly and forcefully to express feeling and emotion. Developed in the 1940's and 1950's, the often-large works appear to be accidental but are very intentional. Jackson Pollock is the movement's most important figures.

Art nouveau - French for "new art". During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, an art movement and style of decorative painting, sculpture and architecture which is characterized by the use of flowers and leaves in flowing, interlacing lines. Henri Toulouse-Latrec and Gustav Klimt were among those greatly influenced by the movement.

Avant-garde - French term for "vanguard", a term that describes artists and their art that stand at the beginning of a movement that often does not conform to the traditional or previously accepted ideas or standards.

Batik - an Indonesian method of printing textile. A design is made on the fabric by coating it with wax to repel dye. The cloth is then dipped in dye after which the wax is removed so the design appears in the original color of the cloth. Often, this process is repeated for a number of colors to complete the desired design.

Caricature - A picture where the subject is depicted in a satirizing way that exaggerates its distinctive characteristics in a comical or grotesque way. Often used as a commentary on political or social matters.

Cartoon - an often humorous or satirical drawing to evoke emotions, usually with a caption. A cartoon is typically a simple-lined drawing and tells a story or continues a story; it can consist of one or more pictures or frames.

Classicism - typically referring to what are considered characteristics of classical art that include simplicity, harmony, proportional representation and emotional restraint.

Cubism - a very influential 20th century art movement driven by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. The movement attempts to break up subject matter, analyze it and reassemble it in an abstract form.

Decorative art - artwork intended for ornamentation purposes. Differing from fine art, decorative art is intended to have a purpose as interior decoration. Some examples of decorative art include furniture, ceramics, glass and jewelry.

Expressionism - a style in painting where the artist disregards traditional standards of proportion and realism while expressing his or her own inner experience of emotions by using distortion and emphasis.

Figurative - art that represents a human, animal or object's form by means of a symbol or figure.

Folk art - handicrafts and ornamental works produced by people with no formal art training but trained in traditional techniques often handed down through generations and of a specific region.

Impressionism - beginning in France in the 1860's, a significant art movement and style of painting where artists attempted to paint their subjects in a way that showed the changing effects of natural lighting throughout the day. Monet, Cézanne, Sisley, Renoir and Pissarro are members of the group of Impressionist painters.

Landscape - a painting, drawing or photograph that scenery such as trees, forests, meadows, and rivers. The movement toward a landscape being primary in a work of art, rather than simply the background, began in the 17th century.

Naïve art - usually referring to art by artists who have no formal art education or training, a style of painting that is often simple with bright colors, unrepresentative perspective and childlike subject matter

Native American Art - artwork created by the indigenous peoples of North America, including but not limited to painting and drawings on paper as well as stone surfaces, weaving, jewelry and pottery.

 Neo-impressionism - a movement in painting as a reaction to Impressionism; originated by Georges-Pierre Seurat in the late 19th century, the movement used the technique of pointillism which uses dots or points of color which the brain automatically blends upon viewing it

 Realism - the attempt to represent people, objects, or places in a realistic manner as opposed to an idealized way; also, a later 19th century art movement in France which objected to the idealized style of Romanticism by creating works that depicted a more true view of everyday life.

Seascape - a painting or work of pictorial art that depicts the sea or a scene that includes the sea.

Surrealism - a successor to Dadaism, the style or movement starting in the 1920's which was influenced by Freud's focus on dreams. Works in the Surrealist style often appear dreamlike, irrational and fantastical in their presentation. Some contributors include André Breton, Salvador Dali, and Joan Míro.