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abstraction

Curator’s Corner

Gem of the Month: Joan Mitchell

Monday, November 27, 2023 | Karl Cole

As a fiend for color in painting, it will come as no surprise that I absolutely worship the work of Abstract Expressionist painter Joan Mitchell. It’s very confusing to me—no, it’s i ...

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Curator’s Corner

An August Painting: Mark Tobey

Monday, August 14, 2023 | Karl Cole

I know we’re no longer on the “edge of August,” but this painting’s title gives me an excuse to showcase the work of one of the less-hyped New York School artists. Like many of ...

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Curator’s Corner

Saying Goodbye to World Watercolor Month 2023

Monday, July 31, 2023 | Karl Cole

Watercolor can be a very unforgiving medium—boy, don’t I know it! I started out studying for an MFA in painting using gouache and watercolor, but my professors suggested that what I was tr ...

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Curator’s Corner

Gem of the Month: Morgan Russell

Monday, July 10, 2023 | Karl Cole

As I did with Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827) last week, I'm presenting another American original today: Morgan Russell. Russell was one of the first American artists to exhibit nono ...

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Curator’s Corner

Celebrating Juneteenth 2023: Norman Lewis

Monday, June 19, 2023 | Karl Cole

In celebration of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, let’s honor Harlem Renaissance (ca. 1920s–1930s) (and beyond) artist Norman Lewis, one of the earliest African American artists to embrace abs ...

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Curator’s Corner

Gem for Pride Month 2023: Anne Ryan

Monday, June 12, 2023 | Karl Cole

Our Gem for this Pride Month is Anne Ryan, an artist who was one of the first women who dedicated a large portion of her body of work to collage. She was one of the many gay artists who were active ar ...

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Curator’s Corner

Pride Month 2023: Ellsworth Kelly

Monday, June 5, 2023 | Karl Cole

Let’s celebrate the life of one of the pioneers of the Color Field movement in American modernism, Ellsworth Kelly, to mark the beginning of LGBT Pride Month. Kelly was one of the many gay artis ...

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Curator’s Corner

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023: Walasse Ting

Monday, May 22, 2023 | Karl Cole

One of the great things about America is the fact that, since colonial times, awesome artists from all over the world have come here and made amazing contributions to American art history. As time has ...

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Curator’s Corner

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023: Miyoko Ito

Monday, May 15, 2023 | Karl Cole

Let’s recognize a true original in Chicago abstract painting to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month: Miyoko Ito. There were two strains in painting that characterized th ...

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Curator’s Corner

Spring Green from Gary Hume

Monday, April 24, 2023 | Karl Cole

In my ongoing celebration of spring, I’m featuring British artist Gary Hume. His Spring Angels series of eight screenprints sets just the right tone with their vibrant colors. In some of the pri ...

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Curator’s Corner

National Disabilities Awareness Month: Paul Klee

Monday, March 27, 2023 | Karl Cole

It’s always awful when someone is diagnosed with a debilitating condition, especially when it comes on the heels of having your art publicly declared “degenerate” because of abstract ...

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Curator’s Corner

Women's History Month 2023: Helène Aylon

Monday, March 13, 2023 | Karl Cole

National Women’s History Month recognizes the contributions women have made to society. Many of these women advocated for ecological, feminist, and antinuclear causes, including conceptual, ...

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Curator’s Corner

Invented Worlds of Maria-Helena Vieira da Silva

Monday, January 30, 2023 | Karl Cole

One of the most fascinating abstract movements to emerge in the mid-1900s was Art Informel. Often termed European Abstract Expressionism, the artists of the group emphasized intuitive, spontaneous, an ...

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Curator’s Corner

Gems of the Month: Robert Motherwell's Lyric Suite

Monday, December 5, 2022 | Karl Cole

In order to beat the holiday rush, I think it’s a good time for some early presents in the form of gorgeous works of art. Unfortunately, I can’t gift the real artworks to you, but just see ...

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Curator’s Corner

Hispanic Heritage Month 2022: Lari Pittman

Monday, September 26, 2022 | Karl Cole

The 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month series continues with the work of Lari Pittman. Pittman’s complex works examine fantastic, personal narratives about love, sex, death, religion, citizenship, and ...

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Curator’s Corner

Hispanic Heritage Month 2022: Martha Boto

Monday, September 19, 2022 | Karl Cole

This Hispanic Heritage month, I’ll be featuring artists who are pioneers in all sorts of art and who have had a major impact on Western art. For this post, let’s take a look at the wo ...

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