For sale is an original exhibited Geometric Linear Abstract Painting by the early San Francisco School Bay Area California abstract expressionist artist Robert Sterling Neuman (1926 – 2015). Provenance: Allan Stone Gallery; New York City. Exhibited: Allan Stone Gallery: 50 Years (January – March 2006). Artist: Robert Sterling Neuman (1926 – 2015). Medium: Watercolor, crayon and pencil on paper. Signed: Lower left by artist. Tackholes with attendant small losses and the sheet corners. Otherwise apparently in good condition. Not examined out of frame. Framed – 15 1/2 x 24 3/4. Artwork – 7 3/4 x 17 1/2. Robert Sterling Neuman (1926 – 2015). As a youth, in the small western mining town of Kellogg, Idaho, Robert S. Neuman made his initial attempts in oil painting using house painters oil colors from the shelves of his father’s hardware store. Neuman’s deep interest in painting led him to study at the University of Idaho. Later, upon arrival in California, he was confronted by the “San Francisco School” (Ecole de Pacific). Neuman continued to develop at The California School of Fine Arts & Crafts and at The California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. During those seven years (1947- 1953), he was associated with such artists as James Budd, Dixon Nathan Oliviera, Peter Voulkos, Edith Smith, and Kenneth Nack. His oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and lithographs were exhibited in many juried exhibitions that also included works by: Wayne Thiebaud, David Park, Richard Diebenkorn, Clifford Still, Edith Smith, James Weeks, Corbett, Bischoff, and other important West Coast painters. While studying at Mills College, Oakland, CA, Neuman felt most fortunate to be exposed to the teaching Max Beckman. Neuman greatly respected the work of Beckman; he also sensed an affinity between certain German Expressionists and Abstract Expressionist in the United States. The “San Francisco School” was the dominant force in the Bay area and became a formative influence in the development of Neuman’s paintings. These qualities are present in his canvasses today by broad surface treatments, calligraphic drawings, energized expression and certain influences from Oriental Art. In the year 1953, Neuman was awarded a Fulbright Grant for painting. The grant brought Neuman to Stuttgart, Germany, allowing him his first contact with his contemporaries in Europe. In Stuttgart, he became aware of post-war German art and studied with renowned artist Willi Baumeister. Neuman has also indicated a strong admiration of Fritz Winter’s paintings. At this time Winter was actively investigating organic colors and a “sign language” in his canvases. It is reasonable to assume that the very forceful “Black Paintings” (1953- 1956) of Robert S. Neuman were influenced by Fritz Winter’s techniques. The First exhibition of Black Paintings was presented in Barcelona, at Sala Vayreda, and subsequently at the Swetzoff Gallery, Boston in 1957. The entire group of “Black Paintings” is now in Private collections. In retrospect, Neuman feels that the late paintings of Willi Baumeister entitled “Montaru Series”, influenced the “Pedazo del Mundo” series. Produced during the 1960’s, these paintings are composed of large circular images containing taped color fragments. The series is thematic in nature and express the concept of the visual container. These paintings were inspired form a year spent in Barcelona made possible by a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. In Barcelona, the artist built friendships with Antoni Tapies, J. Tharrats, and Rafols Cassamada. While in Barcelona, Neuman experienced the different conditions under which the contemporary Spanish artist functioned compared to American. He found the open and seemingly unformalistic attitudes of the West Coast artists contrasting severely with the deeply felt mysticism present in much of the contemporary Spanish artists of that time. A very large and impressive “Pedazo del Mundo, Number 36, ” which was painted at this time is now in the permanent collection of the Worchester Art Museum, MA. The oeuvre of Robert S. Neuman illustrates the “mix” of exposure to West Coast values in painting and the contrasting contemporary European attitudes. Combining these two separate elements produce paintings of dramatic universality. The “mix” is once again used in the Neuman’s more recent series Lame Deer. This series was conceived during a visit, by Neuman, to the village of Lame Deer, MO. The village’s history namesake was Lame Deer, a mystic and medicine man of the Northern Cheyenne people. Neuman’s western heritage is present in the Lame Deer Paintings. Although these canvases are essentially abstract in quality, they seem to echo the strange and unusual landscapes that Neuman recalls from his childhood. Once again Neuman’s paintings present a concern for abstract visual symbols as an expressive force within the composition. Appearing as graphic and chromatic symbols, Neuman’s approach to painting creates a duality between visual and literal associations. The Boston art critic, Robert Taylor remarked (Boston Globe, March 25, 1979): Neuman’s pictures fuse the methods of color field paintings, emblematic abstractions and expressionist responses and, at their best as in this series are evocative and original. 1926 Born September 9, 1926, Kellogg, Idaho. 1944 Enrolled in the University of Idaho, Moscow campus, as a Fine Arts major. Drafted into the U. Military, stationed in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Wisconsin. 1946 Discharged from the U. Re-enrolled in the University of Idaho. 1947 Enrolled in the College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA. Introduced to West Coast art, the “San Francisco Style” in particular. 1950 Received a B. A from the College of Arts and Crafts, CA. 1951 Studied painting with Max Beckman at Mills College. First one-man exhibition: Grumps Gallery, San Francisco. From College of Arts and Crafts, CA. 1952 Joined painting faculty at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts and College of Arts and Crafts. Received Bender Grant-in-Aid, San Francisco Art association. 1953 Awarded Fulbright for Painting (Stuttgart, Germany). Studied with Willi Baumeister and began “Black Paintings” in Stuttgart. 1955 Birth of first daughter Elizabeth Catherine Neuman. 1956 Awarded John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship for Black Paintings. Moved with family to Barcelona, Spain, and occupied studio on Calle Mandri. New period of “Barcelona Paintings” began emphasizing linear qualities in abstraction. 1957 One-man exhibition of “Black Paintings” in Barcelona and Venice. 1958 Birth of second daughter Ingrid Alexandra Neuman. Included in “100 Works on Paper, ” on tour in Europe. 1959 Joined Pace Gallery, Boston. First one-man exhibition of “Barcelona Paintings, ” entire exhibition acquired by collectors. Joined the art faculty of Brown University, Rhode Island. 1961 Exhibitions at Pace Gallery, Boston, of Padazo del Mudo Oil Paintings and Drawings and Lithographs. Lithographs acquired by Museum of Modern Art, Worchester Museum of Art, Yale University, and The Boston Museum of Fine Art. 1962 Appointed faculty of the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University. 1965 Began “Space Signs” paintings. 1971 First one-man exhibition of “Space Signs” at the Brockton Art Museum, MA. 1972 Appointed chair of art department at Keene State College, NH. 1975 Continued to develop “Monument to No One in Particular, ” “The Pile, ” and “The Stack” series of paintings and drawings. 1979 Married Mary Susan “Sunne” Savage. Travel to Spain and Portugal. Illustrated a book of Poetry, “Hearing the Weather Fall, ” by Ann Mazlish. Birth of Third daughter Christina Mary Neuman. The book was published with the assistance of August Heckscher at High Loft Press, ME. Began “Alhambra Paintings” inspired by the visit to Granada, Spain. 1981 Began Series of “Lame Deer Paintings” after a visit to the town of Lame Deer, MO. The Gamma Gamma Round Robin. “Alumnus Art Mixes West Coast, European Attitudes”. “Of Line & Space”. “Winchester Artist’s Show”. The Bar Harbor Times. “Wingspread Gallery to Open New Show”. The New York Times. “Looking at Books from the Outside”. “New at the Hood”. “New England Art Today”. “Poet, Artist, and Printer Combine Talents to Produce’Hearing the Weather Fall'”. The Christian Science Monitor. “Modern Art Comes to Worcester”. “Painter Coming to Campus”. The Spokane Daily Chronicle. “Lecture, Art Slides Booked on May 16″. “Artists Neuman and Townley Blend Works in Two Man Exhibit at Brockton Art Center”. The Virginia Museum of Fine Art: Member’s Bulletin. Institute of Contemporary Art Bulletin. “Expressionism Brought at Pace Gallery”. “Art Exhibitions in Boston & Vicinity”. The item “San Francisco School Bay Area Abstract Painting Signed Robert S Neuman 2005″ is in sale since Thursday, December 12, 2019. This item is in the category “Art\Paintings”. The seller is “upstatetreasures14″ and is located in Kingston, New York. This item can be shipped to United States, Philippines, Cayman islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, United arab emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Jamaica, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Viet nam, Uruguay.
- Year: 2005
- Medium: Watercolor Gouache Pencil
- Subject: Abstract
- Date of Creation: 2000-Now
- Style: Abstract
- Originality: Original
- Region of Origin: California
- Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
- Artist: Robert S Neuman
- Painting Surface: Paper
- Features: Signed
- Size: Medium (up to 36in.)