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Bill Owens Portrait Photography

American, b. 1938

Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and began his journey as a documentarian. While living in Livermore, California, in the late 1960s, he worked as a photographer for the local newspaper. He became increasingly interested in the suburban areas that became heavily populated after WWII.

Owens started photographing middle-class America and would eventually publish a best-selling book, Suburbia, in 1972. Suburbia is considered one of the most important photography books to date. He went on to publish three more books, Our Kind of People, Working and Leisure, focusing on the suburbanites of America.

Owens was the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, which he received in 1976.

Between working commercially and on personal photographic projects, he opened a brewery in California in 1983 and became so enamored with craft beer that he founded the American Distilling Institute and American Brewer magazine.

The photographs of Bill Owens are highly sought after and can be found in private and public collections such as the Getty Museum, Modern Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.

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Artist: Bill Owens
When school is out we sunbathe all day and dance all night
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"When school is out we sunbathe all day and dance all night." Edition of 15 Signed, dated, and numbered on print verso by Bill Owens Gelatin silver p...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Every summer we go all out on our camp in Yosemite, from Leisure
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"Every summer we go all out on our camp in Yosemite. I do the barbequing" Edition of 15 Signed, dated, and numbered by Bill Owens Gelatin silver print 16 x 20 in. Series: Leisure Bi...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Its a great pleasure to watch yourself make love
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
Its a great pleasure to watch yourself make love, 1971 Gelatin silver print, 14 x 11 in. Signed, artist stamp, and numbered. Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volu...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

One Day Our Toilet Broke
By Bill Owens
Located in New York, NY
Bill Owens Before the dissolution of our marriage my husband and I owned a bar. One day a toilet broke and we brought it home, 1971 Print Paper Size: 13 x 17 inches Print Image Size...
Category

1970s Modern Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

We like to play war, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
We like to play war, 1971 Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. Edition of 15 Stamped in ink, signed, numbered, and dated in pencil on verso by Bill Owens Series: Suburbia Bill Owens wa...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

We don't have to conform, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 10 Signed on print verso by Bill Owens Paper size: 16 x 19 1/2 in. Image size: 15 1/2 x 18 3/4 in. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After v...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

New Suburbia, Hayward (Weed Wacker), from New Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 5 Signed, titled, and numbered in black ink on print verso. Series: New Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he pi...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

McDonald's Modern Day Care Center, from Leisure series
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"McDonald's modern day care center keeps the boys out of my hair and lets me have a moment to myself. Kansas City, MO", 1976 Edition 7/15 Signed and artist stamps. Printed 2007 Serie...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

At Rosie O' Grady's Goodtime Emporium (Disco dancer)
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 15 Signed, dated, numbered and artist stamp on print verso by Bill Owens Gelatin silver print, 14 x 11 in. Printed 2005 Series: Leisure Bill Owens was born and raised in ...
Category

1970s Modern Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Untitled (Woman Vacuuming), from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 15 Signed, dated and numbered. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and began his...
Category

1970s Modern Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

I bought the lawn
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"I bought the lawn in six-foot rolls. It's easy to handle. I prepare the ground and my wife and son helped roll out the grass. in one day you have a front yard." Edition of 15 Signed...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

My dad thinks it's a good idea
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"My dad thinks it's a good idea to take all the leaves off the tree and take up the yard. I think he is crazy." Edition of 15 Signed, numbered, and artist stamp. Series: Suburbia Bi...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sunday Afternoon, from Suburbia series
By Bill Owens
Located in Dallas, TX
"Sunday afternoon we get it together. I cook the steaks and my wife makes the salad." Edition of 15 Signed, numbered, and artist stamp. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and rais...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Portrait Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

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Mick Jagger, New York City, 1989 – Albert Watson, Art, Black and White, Portrait
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Bill Owens portrait photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Bill Owens portrait photography available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of portrait photography to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of green and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Bill Owens in silver gelatin print, pigment print, archival pigment print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Bill Owens portrait photography, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Art Shay, Henry Horenstein, and John R. Hamilton. Bill Owens portrait photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $950 and tops out at $5,200, while the average work can sell for $3,700.

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