Mid Century Bay Area Abstract Expressionist -- Oak Woodlands of Golden Gate Park by Honora Berg

Details

Description

Bay Area Abstract Expressionist -- Oak Woodlands of San Francisco Golden Gate Park

This mid-century painting by Honora Berg (American, … Read more Bay Area Abstract Expressionist -- Oak Woodlands of San Francisco Golden Gate Park

This mid-century painting by Honora Berg (American, 1897-1985) depicts coastal live oaks of Golden Gate Park's Oak Woodland rendered with expressive, textured strokes and richly layered pigment. The gnarled trunk and twisting limbs dominate the composition, capturing the tree’s resilient, sculptural presence. Berg’s earthy palette—featuring browns, ochres, and deep blacks—evokes the bark’s rugged surface, while touches of green and red hint at the dense canopy and undergrowth. The abstracted background reinforces the focus on the oak’s dynamic form, reflecting Berg’s modernist approach that blends natural observation with emotional intensity.

Unsigned (from collection of artist's work)
Unframed. 19.75"H x 14"W.
Provenance: From artist's estate collection. Larry Miller (1958-2003) was a specialist in bay area abstract artists and purchased numerous bay area artists estates. He purchased the entirety of the Honora Berg Estate and we purchased many of those works directly from Larry.

Honora Berg, an Abstract Expressionist and Bay Area Figurative School artist, studied at the San Francisco Art Institute with David Park, Elmer Bischoff and James Budd Dixon. Berg's friend Edith Truesdell — David Park's aunt — suggested a move to California in 1951 to study under Park. She exhibited at the 25th Annual Drawing, Print and Sculpture Exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1961. See less