Abstract Saturday: Werner Drewes

A student of Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky, Drewes (1899-1985) was German born but relocated to New York in 1930. He was best known for his studies of forms in nature. Here are some of my favorites of his many woodcuts, along with a few paintings.

Assisi (no. 206) wood cut, 1958 — Assisi (no. 206) wood cut, 1958

Aquatic Ballet, wood cut,  1979 — Aquatic Ballet, wood cut, 1979

At Play no. 3 (Fight) wood cut, 1973 — At Play no. 3 (Fight) wood cut, 1973

The Blue Lake, wood cut, 1957 — The Blue Lake, wood cut, 1957

Contrasting Harmony, Werner Drewes, Oil on vellum, via Richard Norton Gallery — Contrasting Harmony, Werner Drewes, Oil on vellum, via Richard Norton Gallery

Untitled (Abstraction), Werner Drewes, Oil on vellum, via Richard Norton Gallery — Untitled (Abstraction), Werner Drewes, Oil on vellum, via Richard Norton Gallery

Acrobatics 1974 via — Acrobatics 1974 via

Abstract Saturday: Roger Bissière 1886-1964 (French)

Abtract Saturday: Robert Motherwell

I've been trying to learn abstract painting this past year, so naturally I spend a lot of time staring at the great Abstract Expressionists who burst forth from obscurity to turn the art world on its head in the 1940s. These are my favorites from Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1991).

Wall painting with stripes  1944 -1945, by Robert Motherwell — Wall painting with stripes 1944 -1945, by Robert Motherwell

Robert Motherwell. Western Air. 1946-47. MoMA, NYC via Renzo Dionigi's flickr — Robert Motherwell. Western Air. 1946-47. MoMA, NYC via Renzo Dionigi's flickr

Motherwell, Robert. Pancho Villa - 1943. Oil, gouache and paper collage. 71,7 x 9,1 cm

Robert Motherwell. Personage, with Yellow Ochre and White. 1947. MoMA, NY via flickr

Blue with Crosses, 1947 ROBERT MOTHERWELL via opera gallery.com — Blue with Crosses, 1947 ROBERT MOTHERWELL via opera gallery.com

Wall of graffiti 1950 via Allentown Art Museum

Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 34 by Robert Motherwell (1953-54)

ROBERT MOTHERWELL The Little Spanish Prison, 1941 -1944 | Oil on canvas 27 1/4 × 17 1/8 in | 69.2 × 43.5 cm — ROBERT MOTHERWELL The Little Spanish Prison, 1941 -1944 | Oil on canvas 27 1/4 × 17 1/8 in | 69.2 × 43.5 cm

Robert Motherwell, Provincetown Bay, 1990 via paam.org

Abstract Saturday: Hildegarde Haas woodcuts

German-born American artist Hildegarde Haas (1926-2002) produced 57 of these beautiful woodcuts between the years of 1947 and 1953. Amazingly, these can still be purchased for under a thousand dollars here or here.

Abstract Saturday: Franz Kline (1910-1962)

Kline didn't begin painting abstractly until the 1940s. To help himself think in abstract forms after years of figural painting, he used an enlarger to zoom in on areas of smaller drawings to find the strong gestural, seemingly spontaneous lines that he would become known for, first in black and white and later in color as well. At times, he even revisited his earlier works and added color elements.