Day 47 and yes, it’s another abstract expressionists…I’m afraid I can only handle abstract and minimalist concepts right now as I am counting down the VERY few days until we make our big move.  Yay and Argh and WHEW!  Today I celebrate Michael Goldberg!

Michael Goldberg (December 24, 1924 – December 31, 2007) was an American abstract

expressionist painter and teacher known for his gestural action paintings, abstractions and still-life paintings. A retrospective show, “Abstraction Over Time: The Paintings of Michael Goldberg”, is showing at MOCA Jacksonville in Florida from 9/21/13 to 1/5/14. His work was seen in September 2007 in a solo exhibition at Knoedler & Company in New York City, as well as several exhibitions at Manny Silverman Gallery in Los Angeles. Additionally, a survey of Goldberg’s work is exhibited at the University Art Museum at California State University, Long Beach since September 2010.

A veteran of World War II, Goldberg was one of the last few remaining survivors of the New

York School; he was sometimes referred to as a member of the so-called “second generation” of Abstract Expressionists, although he began exhibiting his action paintings in important group shows in galleries in New York City in the early 1950s. Goldberg began taking classes at theArt Students League of New York at age 14.  In the 1950s he studied painting with Hans Hofmann, and he discussed painting with Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, Mark Rothko and several others of the New York School sometimes at The Eighth Street Club, a regular meeting place of modern artists working in and around Tenth Street in New York and sometimes at the Cedar Bar.

He began to exhibit his paintings in New York City during the early 1950s, and some of his abstract expressionist peers included artists like Joan Mitchell, Alfred Leslie, Grace Hartigan, Helen Frankenthaler, Knox Martin, Friedel Dzubas, Norman Bluhm and Sam Francis among others.

Michael Goldberg came into prominence in the late 1950s, early 1960s just as

Color field painting, Hard-edge painting and Pop Art emerged onto centerstage. With the changing of fashions in the art world; his greatest accomplishments as a painter weren’t sufficiently recognized; and as many of his generation his work was overlooked for many years. Although by the 1970s and 1980s his work began to achieve recognition and appreciation and he enjoyed a long, successful and a celebrated career as an abstract painter.

His work like others of the abstract expressionist generation expressed a painterly integration of Western metaphysics and Eastern philosophy. Throughout his long career and into his mature years, he continued to teach, paint, and exhibit his work. His classes at the School of Visual Arts were well attended by devoted students, and admirers. He lived with his wife and longtime companion, the painter Lynn Umlauf, who also teaches at the School of Visual Arts. He died in Manhattan of a heart attack. He is survived by his brother, the writer Gerald Jay Goldberg.

Biography is from wikipedia.

I was so rushed and busy with packing and other “moving” stuff that I didn’t even think of taking any progress photos as I painted today.  I also got quite sucked into painting this piece that it didn’t dawn on me to do so!  I am actually happy that I’ve been choosing to do many Abstract Expressionist painters this month because I’ve gained such an appreciation and respect for this style.  I used to not have much of an opinion about it except for thinking that anyone could do it and a kind of “whatever” attitude about it.  Now that I’ve been attempting my hand at it, my perspective has completely changed.  There’s so much more I see in these paintings now.  I still can’t quite pinpoint my exact feelings…I’m sure I’ll understand it more throughout this project this year.  Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you tomorrow on DAY 48…almost 50 paintings!  Woot woot.  I’m totally going to celebrate something once I move into my new place! xoxo, Linda