Famous American Abstract Painters

Considered part of the New York school of painters of the 1940s, Mark Rothko was best known for his signature color field paintings, consisting of vertically set rectangular patches of color. A significant figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement, he also experimented with murals and mythological themes.

Arshile Gorky, a powerful Armenian-American painter of 20th century, is counted among founding fathers of abstract expressionism. His experience, suffering and loss during Armenian genocide strongly influenced his development as an artist. With notable works like Landscape in the Manner of Cézanne and Nighttime, Enigma, Nostalgia, Gorky emerged as one of the major artists whose works defined American abstract expressionism.

American abstract expressionist painter, printmaker and editor Robert Motherwell of the New York School is counted among the most articulate spokesmen of abstract expressionism and founders of the art movement. Notable works of Motherwell, who was known for exploring political, philosophical and literary themes, include the Elegy to the Spanish Republic series that consists of impressive black and white paintings.

Franz Kline of the New York School is counted among the most significant artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Labelled as an action painter, Kline’s etched a niche with his seemingly spontaneous and intense style that focused more on actual brushstrokes and use of canvas instead on figures or imagery as exemplified in his masterpiece, Number 2 (1954).

Elaine de Kooning, an accomplished landscape and portrait artist, remained active in Abstract Expressionist and Figurative Expressionist movements during post-Second World War era. Elaine admired artwork of Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist Willem de Kooning, her future husband, and honed her skills under his tutelage. Figure served as subject of representational portraiture for Elaine, who was perhaps best-known for her portraits.

Mostly hailed as an influential art teacher, Hans Hofmann was also a great artist and a pioneer in the use of improvisatory techniques. Born in Germany, he migrated to USA after Nazis came to power. There he opened his own school and moving away from Expressionistic landscapes developed totally an abstract manner, paving the way for Abstract Expressionism.

Born to journalist parents, who were both part of the Cuban intellectual sphere, Carmen Herrera received elite art education in Paris. The political unrest in Cuba forced her to leave her architecture studies incomplete and move to the U.S. She later established herself as a master painter of abstract art.

American abstract expressionist painter Paul Jenkins, who at times called himself "an abstract phenomenist", initially created his works in oil on canvas and later moved away to acrylic. He started using an ivory knife as a main tool in creating his artwork. Besides paintings, Jenkins also created solid and unique sculptures made out of glass, limestone, steel and bronze.    

Modern American artist Stanton Macdonald-Wright is best-known for co-founding the Synchromism art-movement with fellow American artist Morgan Russell in 1912, while the two were studying in Paris. They developed it with the belief that painting was a practice similar to music and even though it was short-lived, Synchromism emerged as the first American avant-garde art movement that garnered international attention.

While she initially focused on Abstract Expressionism, American painter Jane Freilicher later switched her focus to still lifes, especially of flowers. Known as a pioneer of painterly realism, she is known for her iconic works such as Bouquets. She was part of the New York School and the Representational movement.

Initially a stenographer, American painter I. Rice Pereira later established herself as a prominent name in abstract painting. A major pillar of the Bauhaus movement, she was well-acquainted with many painters and authors and even wrote extensively on topics such as space and time.

A major figure of abstract expressionism, American painter Conrad Marca-Relli belonged to the first generation of the New York School. The son of Italian immigrant parents, he grew up to teach painting at institutes such as Yale. He was known for his large-scale collages and white-on-white productions.

Esteban Vicente was a Spanish-American painter. The son of an army man, he was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, he quit military school to become an artist and enrolled at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes. He was successful in his artistic career and became one of the first generations of New York School abstract expressionists. 

Second World War veteran Robert Goodnough of the New York School was a distinguished American abstract expressionist painter. His later works were also associated with the Color Field movement. Goodnough was one of the artists who were included the famous 9th Street Art Exhibition. His works were exhibited in several solo and group exhibitions, both in the US and abroad.