Hard-Edge Abstract Geometric Painting, by John Haag

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This original 2005 abstract painting titled "Two Oranges and a Green (Variation on a Theme)" is an elegant, structured mid-career … Read more This original 2005 abstract painting titled "Two Oranges and a Green (Variation on a Theme)" is an elegant, structured mid-career artwork by the San Francisco-based artist John Haag.

STYLE: The painting belongs to the Hard-edge Abstract Geometric style, drawing on stylistic elements from Mid-Century Modernism and Precisionism. The intersecting diagonals and stark, clean boundaries create a dynamic sense of rhythmic movement and shallow depth. The composition forces the eye to trace the overlapping planes, shifting between the background and foreground. The bright, high-contrast palette of warm oranges, deep burgundy, and a striking turquoise green injects a vivid, balanced energy that feels simultaneously structured and alive.

MATERIALS: Using acrylic paint on stretched canvas, Haag relies on masking techniques (such as precision tape masking) to achieve sharp, unblended lines where distinct color zones collide. The artist utilizes overlapping geometric planes and varying line widths to construct an intricate, layered matrix.

ARTIST: John Fox Haag is a contemporary abstract and representational artist. He started drawing at age four or five, and painting by the fourth grade. Haag studied fine arts at the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York City and earned his BFA from the University of Oregon. He worked for 25 years as a graphic designer for prominent companies like ABC, American Express and Landor Associates—the latter historically famous for building many of the world's most ubiquitous corporate symbols including the FedEx identity, the iconic Levi Strauss & Co. "Batwing" logo, and key visual branding for corporate giants like Coca-Cola, British Airways, General Electric and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

For many years, Haag was a key member of the Bay Area art scene, working from the prominent Hunters Point Shipyard Artists community in San Francisco (Building 110, Studio #211, as verified by his studio card on the reverse). He later relocated his primary practice to Palm Springs, California, where he continues to work out of The Lofts Art District.

Haag's work bridges hard-edged abstraction like this example with landscape-inspired color studies. He has been publicly exhibiting his fine art paintings—primarily oil and watercolors—since 2003 across cities like San Francisco, Palm Springs and Santa Fe. His paintings and drawings are held in numerous private contemporary art collections, particularly throughout California, New York and the Pacific Northwest.

Signature/Maker’s Mark: Verso (photos #4, 5). See less