'Large Abstract' by Bruce Lauritzen, 1970, California, Bay Area Abstraction, Smithsonian, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

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Signed lower right, 'B. Lauritzen' for Bruce Lauritzen (American, born 1934) and dated 1970.
Framed dimensions: 46.25 x 46.25 x … Read more Signed lower right, 'B. Lauritzen' for Bruce Lauritzen (American, born 1934) and dated 1970.
Framed dimensions: 46.25 x 46.25 x 2 inches

A substantial abstract by this notable California Modernist whose work is held in the collections of museums nationwide including the Smithsonian Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Achenbach Foundation at the California Palace Legion of Honor.

Bruce Lauritzen first attended the California College of Arts and Crafts (CCAC) in Oakland on a scholarship and subsequently received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute where he was influenced by the work of Richard Diebenkorn. In the 1960's, he moved to Italy where he discovered the works of the Old Masters and remained to live and paint for six years, holding his first solo exhibitions in Milan and Rome.

Over the course of a long and distinguished career, Lauritzen has exhibited widely and with success and has been the recipient of numerous prizes, medals and juried awards. A member of the Marin Arts Council’s founding board of directors, Lauritzen was for many years a respected teacher, first at the College of Marin and then at San Francisco's Academy of Art University. He has explored many avenues and sensibilities in his painting, building a bridge between representation and abstraction. Throughout his work, however, there has remained both an innate sense of authority and a common thread of identity. We are pleased to offer a major work of abstraction from the artist's early middle period.

Artist Statement:
"I've spent a lifetime at the easel. Art is my passion and my nourishment. It centers me, keeps me alive. My mediums include everything from the delicacy of watercolor, to the richness of oil, to experimental, texture-laden surfaces on canvas. I insist on keeping myself open to any new concept, any new approach that occurs to me, even though I tend to paint in series, which may last for a year or a decade. Every new piece is an experiment, an adventure. My subject matter may be sparked by a sudden inspiration from my immediate environment, or may creep up from a subconscious internal place. The 'Bull,' inspired by my trips to Spain, provided an emblematic and metaphoric subject, the eternal contest between man and beast. Also the 'Horse,' an icon of civilization, has been a presence in my life since I was a child. Although I was born in San Francisco, I grew up in Marin County when it was more rural than suburban. West Marin, where I have lived now for twenty years, provides me the opportunity to thrive in fresh air, unencumbered by noise and traffic, and where, incidentally, we are surrounded by horses and bovines. Designing our home, studio, and landscaping provided our custom habitat, as well as my "sculptural" outlet. I love to smell the earth and see things grow... and keep making art." See less