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Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

American, b. 1951

A forerunner of the post-painterly abstraction movement, contemporary artist Gary Komarin approaches each composition with a pure openness to inspiration. With every brushstroke, he builds a visual interpretation of his mindset in that moment, never knowing what he's going to paint next. Komarin asserts that, for him, "the best paintings are the paintings that paint themselves."

Komarin invites risk into his abstract work, and employs daring in every element of his pieces. From his adventurous deployment of spackle and house paint as mediums to his playful use of color and imperfect lines, he pulls forms from a backdrop of consciousness, rather than merely delivering images to a surface. He enjoys instilling a child's sense of wonder into his abstractions and still-lifes, invoking a toddler's experience of "seeing things without knowing what they are."

Born in New York City, Komarin is the son of a Czech architect and Austrian author. He attended art school at Boston University, where painter Phillip Guston became a mentor. Much of Komarin's work nods to Guston, without mimicking or replicating the latter’s signature cartoonish style. 

Komarin has exhibited in the United States, Asia, the United Kingdom and throughout continental Europe. In 1996, his work was included in an exhibition at 41 Green Street in New York. He has received numerous awards, including the New York Foundation for the Arts grant in painting, the Joan Mitchell Prize in Painting and the Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship. Komarin lives in rural Connecticut, where he continues to create new work. 

Find original Gary Komarin paintings, drawings and mixed media works on 1stDibs.

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Artist: Gary Komarin
Cake Stacked: Blue on Yellow
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Stacked Cake: Black on Pale Pink and Grey
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; water-based enamel paint on paper bags
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Cake Stacked: Blue on White
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Cake Stacked: White on Turquoise
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Orange Cake Stacked on White
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Cake Stacked: Bright Pink on White
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Red Cake Stacked on White
By Gary Komarin
Located in Fairfield, CT
Unique; Water-based enamel paint on paper stacks
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Mixed Media Painting by Gary Komarin 'The French Wig (white)'
By Gary Komarin
Located in White Plains, NY
'The French Wig (white)' 2015 by American artist, Gary Komarin. Mixed media on canvas, 14 x 11 in. Wigs are among Komarin’s most recognizable idiosyncratic images. This faux naive wo...
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Mixed Media Painting by Gary Komarin 'The French Wig (blue)'
By Gary Komarin
Located in White Plains, NY
'The French Wig (blue)' 2016 by American artist, Gary Komarin. Mixed media on canvas, 14 x 11 in. Wigs are among Komarin’s most recognizable idiosyncratic images. This faux naive wor...
Category

2010s Contemporary Gary Komarin Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

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Gary Komarin figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Gary Komarin figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Gary Komarin in enamel, metal, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Gary Komarin figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 11 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Chris Gwaltney, Philip Buller, and Peter Gerakaris. Gary Komarin figurative paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,750 and tops out at $24,000, while the average work can sell for $24,000.

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