Well to put it in the words of the smelliest art teacher I ever had..."Art is what you see in front of you. Not what you imagine is there."

To me the ability to draw what is infront of you accurately is not art, as much as mimicry.

By abstract I mean drawing or potraying what isn't there or might not exist. Or making an image in your head, and then conveying it into reality by various means.

Maybe I am a bit biased, and a bit scarred by having run ins with not so good teachers.