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Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.

Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.

The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.

Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.

Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Contemporary
Fall to Grace
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Fall to Grace" is an original ink and watercolor painting on paper mounted to wood by artist Robert Kraiza measuring 19in height x 9in width. Artist Statement // In my work I invoke a whimsical world inspired by Victorian and Edwardian eras. To me they represent a romantic time period that has roots that extend directly into the modern world, both good and bad. The customs and aesthetics of the period are both fascinating and breathtaking but a vast portion of the population was victim to subjugation. It has since been eradicated on paper but still permeates to this day. I am exploring an imagined supernatural world hidden just out of sight where these woman could escape. This is an evolution from my earlier work set in the same time period with a continuous thread of humans and their animal companions. Through witchcraft these women find strength in their abilities and each other to leave the oppressive world they inhabit behind and escape to the woods to their Covendom, the boundary that defines the territory of their coven. They shed their customs, their corsets, and their concerns at the edge of the forest and gather among the trees to explore their magical potential with their familiars at the side. This body of work is exploring multiple media with a consistent theme and setting; combining watercolor painting, pen and ink illustrations, and graphite drawings. All pieces are created in monochrome on hot press watercolor paper mounted on wood with a gold painted border reminiscent of daguerreotype frames. Watercolor allows me to achieve results ranging from soft ethereal layered washes similar to oil glazes to precise minute details I include in all of my works. Bio // ROBERT KRAIZA (pronounced: cry-zuh) is an illustrator and fine artist who lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied Media Arts and Animation at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Interested in many media, he often paints in monochrome watercolor on a small scale, inspired by the Victorian era and whimsical dreams in both his art and personal aesthetic. Depicting fantasy worlds from the hidden life of nineteenth century witches to miniature children...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper

"Grace" Nude, figurative, miniature ink on wood, pendant
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This miniature drawing may be displayed on a wall or worn on a chain. Bio // ROBERT KRAIZA (pronounced: cry-zuh) is an illustrator and fine artist who lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied Media Arts and Animation at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Interested in many media, he often paints in monochrome watercolor on a small scale, inspired by the Victorian era and whimsical dreams in both his art and personal aesthetic. Depicting fantasy worlds from the hidden life of nineteenth century witches to miniature children...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Ink, Wood

GLYPHS on Encyclopedia Pages by Cheryl R. Riley
Located in Jersey City, NJ
GLYPHS (Set of 10) by Cheryl R. Riley Each piece in the set of ten is a unique iteration painted on the pages of a 1957 encyclopedia using gouache an...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Three's Company - Gyotaku Style Sumi Ink Painting of Multi-Colored Koi on Paper
Located in Chicago, IL
A local Chicago carp is used in this Japanese style of Gyo-Taku print making to replicate a koi. Using sumi ink to "print" the carp, the artist then embellishes them with colored pe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Sumi Ink, Watercolor, Mulberry Paper, Color Pencil

Two Macks - Gyotaku Style Sumi Ink Painting of Two Mackerel on Paper
Located in Chicago, IL
A Mackerel is inked and then "printed" with sumi ink in this Japanese style of Gyo-Taku print. The artist then embellishes the fish with colored pencil adding an extraordinary dimen...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Sumi Ink, Watercolor, Mulberry Paper, Color Pencil

Human Preservation (2) by Julien Delagrange - Portrait painting, human figure
Located in Paris, FR
Human Preservation (2) is a unique painting by contemporary artist Julien Delagrange. The painting is made with oil, gesso and acrylic on linen canvas, dimensions are 80 × 60 cm (31....
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Linen, Oil, Acrylic

"Las Metas Pequeńas" (FRAMED) Painting 21" x 20.5" inch by Antonio Pelayo
Located in Culver City, CA
"Las Metas Pequeńas" (FRAMED) Painting 21" x 20.5" inch by Antonio Pelayo Medium: Pencil on Paper. Acrylic Ink & Paint on Animation Acetate Artist Antonio Pelayo, born in Glendale...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic

"Alter Ego" - Original Watercolor Hand-Painted Etching on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
"Alter Ego" - Original Watercolor Hand-Painted Etching on Paper - 35/120 Edition Variable In this highly detailed hand painted etching, artist Claus Sievert (American, 1949-2009) de...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache, Etching

Metaphysical weight (1) (after Pina Bausch) by Julien Delagrange - Painting
Located in Paris, FR
Metaphysical weight (1) (after Pina Bausch) is a unique painting by contemporary artist Julien Delagrange. The painting is made with oil, gesso and acrylic on linen canvas (aluminium...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Linen, Oil, Acrylic

"Nude Lady" Pencil on Paper 20" x 12" inch by Salah Abdel Kerim
Located in Culver City, CA
"Nude Lady" Pencil on Paper 20" x 12" inch by Salah Abdel Kerim Born in Fayoum to a big family of 5 brothers and sisters. In 1938 he meets the famous painter Hussein Bikar and he b...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Meditations on Fragility (3) by J. Delagrange - work on paper, black & white
Located in Paris, FR
Meditations on Fragility (3) is a work by Belgian artist Julien Delagrange. Charcoal on paper. Artwork sold framed. Dimensions of the framed artwork: H 72 x L 52 x D 2 cm // H 28.35 ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

The Choice by Julien Delagrange - work on paper, black & white
Located in Paris, FR
The Choice is a charcoal drawing on paper by Belgian artist Julien Delagrange. This artwork is part of ongoing series of Forbidden Reproductions. The source material is found by man...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Fragment of the unpredictable by F. S. Borquez - Contemporary Painting, Seascape
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas. H 73 xcm x W 116 cm. Focusing his artistic research on the gesture, Chilean-French artists Franco Salas Borquez (b. 1979) paints the waves using an intuitive but rigor...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chanel watchmaking by Guy Oberson - work on paper, contemporary, portrait
Located in Paris, FR
Black chalk on paper, 80 cm × 120 cm. Guy Oberson shades the black chalk with a multitude of vertical streaks which alters the perception of the subject, making the interpretation of...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Chalk

Boat on the Marañón River, Jungle series - Contemporary Drawing, work on paper
Located in Paris, FR
Boat on the Marañón River is a drawing by Spanish contemporary artist Calo Carratalá, from the "Jungle" series. This piece of art portrays a man boating down the river Marañón - a tr...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Atarax by Cécile Bisciglia - Large ballpoint pen drawing on canvas
Located in Paris, FR
Ballpoint pen, acrylic and posca on canvas, 130 x 195 cm. With this series, French artist Cécile Bisciglia explores animality. Armed with a ballpoint pen, she creates monumental port...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen

English Judge by Cécile Bisciglia - Large ballpoint pen drawing on canvas
Located in Paris, FR
Ballpoint pen, acrylic and posca on canvas, 200 x 200 cm (6 ft. 6 x 6 ft. 6) With this series, French artist Cécile Bisciglia explores animality. Armed with ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen

Privacy Area by Cécile Bisciglia - Large ballpoint pen drawing on canvas
Located in Paris, FR
Ballpoint pen, acrylic and posca on canvas, 200 x 200 cm (6 ft. 6 x 6 ft. 6) With this series, French artist Cécile Bisciglia explores animality. Armed with ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen

The Rape of Persephone by Bernini, Galleria Borghese -Original Sepia Ink Drawing
Located in Chicago, IL
The loose hash marks come together in this colored pen drawing taken from Bernini's sculpture titled "The Rape of Persephone" in the Galleria Borghe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pen

Pyramidal Wave by F. S. Borquez - Contemporary Painting, Seascape, waves
Located in Paris, FR
Graphite on Figueras paper. The artwork is sold framed (white frame) under an anti-reflective glass. Dimensions framed: W 117 cm x H 81 cm // W 46 in x H 31.9 cm Focusing his artisti...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

The Kiss by J. Delagrange - work on paper, black & white
Located in Paris, FR
The Kiss - Forbidden reproduction (8) is a work by Belgian artist Julien Delagrange. Charcoal on paper. . This artwork is part of ongoing series of F...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

The First by J. Delagrange - work on paper, black & white, framed
Located in Paris, FR
The First - Forbidden reproduction (4) is a work by Belgian artist Julien Delagrange. Charcoal on paper. Artwork sold framed. Dimensions of the frame...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Baobab N7 by Calo Carratalá - work on paper, graphite drawing, sold framed
Located in Paris, FR
Graphite on paper Arches 360 gr mounted on a wood frame. Artwork sold framed with a methacrylate box, 46 cm × 65 cm. Calo Carratalá is a contemporary Spanish artist, based in Valencia, specializing in landscapes. With a passion for traveling, he has visited the Amazon, Colorado, the Alps and the Pyrenees, the forests of Norway... Always armed with sketching pad...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Element III by Franco Salas Borquez - Work on paper, ocean waves, black & silver
Located in Paris, FR
Silver ink on Canson paper, H 70 x W 50 cm. Sold framed under an anti-reflective glass (dimensions framed: H 82 x W 62 cm). Focusing his artistic research on the gesture, Chilean-French artists Franco Salas Borquez...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

The Passion (9) by J. Delagrange - work on paper, black & white, framed
Located in Paris, FR
The Passion (9) (after Pina Bausch) is a work by Belgian artist Julien Delagrange. Charcoal on paper. Artwork sold framed. Dimensions of the framed a...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Frontal Wave by Franco Salas Borquez - Work on paper, ocean waves, framed
Located in Paris, FR
Silver ink on Canson paper, H 70 x W 50 cm. Sold framed under an anti-reflective glass (dimensions framed: H 82 x W 62 cm). Focusing his artistic research on the gesture, Chilean-French artists Franco Salas Borquez...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Red Baobab by Calo Carratalá - Large drawing on wood (9.7 ft high)
Located in Paris, FR
Conte pencil Sanguina on laminated wood. 293 cm × 295 cm // 9.6 ft x 9.7 ft. This series of drawings is inspired by the artist's travel experience in Tanzania and focuses, as the title suggests, on the baobabs, Africa's most characteristic tree. Calo Carratalá...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Red Rose - contemporary work by award winning emerging artist Fujiko Rose
Located in London, GB
Fujiko’s work amalgamates a contrast of the contemporary with traditional scenes, juxtaposing Indian black ink on a variety of warm textured papers, whilst forming a modern emotive f...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

India Ink

Late March - Highly Detailed Surreal Landscape, Watercolor & Gouache on Paper
Located in Chicago, IL
Translucent vessels are suspended upon the surface of the water in this surreal landscape entitled "Cloud Lake". This landscape is done in exacting detail with watercolor and gouache down to the smallest water droplet. Layer upon layer of color is added to achieve this impressively detailed painting. The piece is matted and framed in a simple white frame measuring 20.25 x 16.75 inches. Christina Haglid Cloud Lake watercolor and gouache on paper 11h x 8w in 27.94h x 20.32w cm CMH053 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper

Baobab N1 by Calo Carratalá - work on paper, graphite drawing, sold framed
Located in Paris, FR
Graphite on paper Arches 360 gr mounted on a wood frame. Artwork sold framed with a methacrylate box, 65 cm × 46 cm. Calo Carratalá is a contemporary Spanish artist, based in Valencia, specializing in landscapes. With a passion for traveling, he has visited the Amazon, Colorado, the Alps and the Pyrenees, the forests of Norway... Always armed with sketching pad...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite, Paper

Willow - Botanical Watercolor & Gouache on Paper with Single Bud Vase and Tree
Located in Chicago, IL
A single bud vase, a willow tree seeming to grow inside a confined vessel, all appearing to float upon a sea of moving water are the subjects of Christina Haglid's "Willow". The ar...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper

The Body is a History - Muscular Male Nude, Graphite Drawing on Paper
Located in Chicago, IL
Rick Sindt's knowledge of the male physique is evident in this exquisite drawing of a nude male. The subject sits on the ground with his body twisted away from the viewer. We see the defined musculature of his posterior. The artwork is framed in white wood with a black mat. Rick Sindt The Body is a History graphite on archival paper 12h x 9w in 30.48h x 22.86w cm RIS026 Shifting the historic male gaze into a male-on-male gaze, this body of work anchors its exploration of queer culture in relationships and introspection. Beginning with a survey of several photo archives, I overwhelmingly encountered pictures that fit into two distinct categories: spectacular demonstrations or public displays of sexuality. All of these images were overtly political. Then, I began to find a subset of more intimate images. Typically, these were images submitted by loved ones or donated to foundations after someone’s death. These images depicted common, tender scenes. Working my way through these images, I reflected on D. A. Miller’s assertion that gay identity, to which we have entrusted our politics and ethics, stands in an essentially reductive relation to the queer desires on which it is based. And David Halperin’s argument that, “identity has become the preferred category for thinking about homosexuality. Moreover, it has been promoted at the direct expense of pleasure or feelings or subjectivity.” This left me asking the questions: how is queer culture transmitted if not genealogically? Is there a universal queer experience? What is queer sensibility and subjectivity and can it be visually represented? Rick Sindt b. 1990, Hastings, MN, EDUCATION 2013 North Park University, Chicago, IL - BFA Magna Cum Laude SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2016 Two Countries, Rogue Philanthropy, Chicago, IL 2013 Tides, Erosion or Catch, Pull, Recover; The-One-Right-Now, North Park University; Chicago, IL GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2016 Are We Not of Interest to Each Other, Uptown Arts Center, Chicago, IL Reinventing Ourselves From Another Point-of-View, Contemporary Gallery at Zhou B. Arts Center, Chicago, IL Collective: Process, Beans and Bagels, Chicago, IL 2015 Collective: for(a)ging, Hammond Art Center; Hammond, IN How We Make It, The Arts of Life, Chicago, IL Collective: One, Albany Park...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Graphite

Baobab N5 by Calo Carratalá - work on paper, graphite drawing, sold framed
Located in Paris, FR
Graphite on paper Arches 360 gr mounted on a wood frame. Artwork sold framed with a methacrylate box, 65 cm × 46 cm. Calo Carratalá is a contemporary Spanish artist, based in Valencia, specializing in landscapes. With a passion for traveling, he has visited the Amazon, Colorado, the Alps and the Pyrenees, the forests of Norway... Always armed with sketching pad...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Untitled #5 - Two Entwined Figures, Original Graphite Drawing on Panel
Located in Chicago, IL
"Untitled #5" is a graphite drawing by Rick Sindt. The two figures are entwined peacefully in this small portrait. The graphite is reminiscent of the old ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Panel, Graphite

Selvas Negras n°4 - Tropical Forest Landscape, work on paper
Located in Paris, FR
Pencil on Daler Rowney 1,4 mm paper, 120 cm × 81 cm. Artwork sold framed: wood frame (dimensions: 137 cm x 98 cm x 4 cm) and plexiglass box (dimensions: 138 cm x 99 cm x 5 cm) Selvas Negras...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil, Paper

Awakening by Guy Oberson - work on paper, contemporary, mother and child
Located in Paris, FR
Black chalk on paper, 80 cm × 120 cm. Guy Oberson shades the black chalk with a multitude of vertical streaks which alters the perception of the subject, making the interpretation of...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Chalk

Arbre au vent - work on paper, contemporary
Located in Paris, FR
Black chalk on paper, 59 x 79 cm. Although figurative, this black chalk drawing has an unreal and dreamy aspect. The motif appears to be covered in a fine dark veil made visible by v...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Chalk

Rodolphe (Contemporary portrait drawing, work on paper)
Located in Paris, FR
Black chalk on paper 224gr/m2, 2018. Artwork sold framed (Balck American box). Dimensions of the framed artwork:145 x 125 cm. This is a portrait of a man’s face immortalized in prof...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Chalk

Untitled (Backs) - Vintage Polaroid Inspired Drawing of Two Boys at the Beach
Located in Chicago, IL
This untitled work by Rick Sindt is a small graphite drawing of two male figures with their backs to the viewer. Their focus is something out of our viewin...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Panel, Graphite

Matt, Male Portrait with Geometric Background and Floral Foreground, Ink Drawing
Located in Chicago, IL
"Matt" by Brian Driscoll is presented in three layers. The subject stands in front of a wall dotted with intricate circles and cross hashes. He then gazes through a veil of floral ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper

Sam, Reclining Male Nude with Hounds Tooth Background and Floral Foreground
Located in Chicago, IL
"Sam" by Brian Driscoll is presented in three layers. The male nude reclines in front of a background of hounds tooth wall paper and then Sam is overlayed with a veil of floral designs. It is as if are being allowed to draw back the curtain into this very private space. This three-dimensional quality of Driscoll's drawing is highly complex in its execution. Each layer is a different geometrical pattern - the heavy lines that take up the wallpaper, the tiny hash marks that evolve into Sam and finally, the absence of color to create the floral curtain. Brian Driscoll Sam, 2019 ink on paper 17h x 14w in 43.18h x 35.56w cm BWD013 Through drawing, Driscoll creates Midwestern mythologies exploring aspects of masculinity in working-class rural America...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper

Unruly Muse - Allegorical Drawing of the Artist in The Studio with Models
Located in Chicago, IL
David Becker b. 1937 David H. Becker, painter, printmaker and educator, was born on August 16, 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He studied at the Milwaukee State Teachers College, the Layton School of Art between 1956 and 1958, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he enrolled in the science curriculum. After a chance meeting with Warrington Colescott, department chair of the art department, Becker decided on a career in art and received his BFA degree in 1961. After graduation he served for two years in the US Army and then entered a graduate studies program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned his MFA in 1965. ------- Becker moved to Detroit after receiving his degree and joined the faculty at Wayne State University where he taught life drawing. In 1985 he left Detroit to join the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and he retired from teaching in 2006. His first solo exhibition was mounted in 1968. About 1970 Becker turned most of his attention towards printmaking as he could not paint and create prints during the same period of time and was pulled toward printmaking. He stated that he enjoys “putting images together in an unpredictable fashion.” Becker worked slowly and an etching plate could take up to two years to complete and he ultimately only produced thirteen prints. His etchings were included in the Twenty-fourth National Exhibition of Prints at the Library of Congress in 1975; the Third American Biennial of Graphic Arts at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Cali, Columbia in 1976, winning the gold medal; and Brooklyn Museum National Print Exhibition. His work was included in the Ninth British International Print Biennale in Bradford, England in 1986; the 162nd and 165th Annual at the National Academy of Design in 1987 and 1990. Becker was elected an Associate of the National Academy of Design in 1983 and elevated to full Academician in 1991. He received a Visual Artists Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts which helped him transition back into painting. He also received the University of Wisconsin Chancellor’s Faculty Development Award in the Creative Arts in 1996 and 1999. He is a member of and exhibited with the Boston Printmakers, Society of American Graphic Artists, and the Philadelphia Print Club. In the late 1990's and early aughts, Becker returned to painting and drawing full time. David H. Becker is represented in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Exhibitions 2017 Figure8, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Cicago, IL 2012 Eye Teeth Group Show, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, MI 2011 Art Chicago 2011, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2010 Art Chicago 2010, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2009 David Becker Retrospective, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Art Chicago 2009, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL The 184th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy Museum, NYC Selections, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2008 Art Chicago 2008, Represented by Ann Nathan Gallery, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2007 Unruly Muse, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA NY (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Ann Nathan Gallery, 7th Regiment Armory, NY, NY Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 Palm Beach³, Ann Nathan Gallery, Palm Beach, FL 2005 SOFA NY (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Ann Nathan Gallery, 7th Regiment Armory, NY, NY Art Chicago in the Park, Butler Field, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Palm Beach³, Ann Nathan Gallery, Palm Beach, FL 2004 Contemporary Prints: National Academy Museum Collection, National Academy of Design, NYC Art Chicago 2004, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Fantastic & Visionary Art, touring exhibit: Orange, Manning, Riddoch, & Ballart Gallery, Australia Return of the Men, Peltz Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2003 Art Chicago 2003, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Fantastic & Visionary Art, touring exhibit: Orange Regional Gallery, New South Wales, Australia National Academy of Design 178th Annual Exhibition, NY, NY 2002 Art Chicago 2002, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Art of the 20th Century, Ann Nathan Gallery, Park Ave. Armory, NY, NY Outsider Art Fair, The Puck Building @ Houston & Lafayette Sts., NYC Self and Other Portraits, Wisconsin Artists, Charles Allis Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI Return of the Men, Peltz Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2001 Beyond the 50's, May 4 - July 1, Exhibit A, A Gallery of Art & Design, Birmingham, Michigan Outsider Art Fair, January 26-28, The Puck Building @ Houston & Lafayette Sts., NYC "FANTASTIC ART", April/May, Orange Regional Gallery, Orange NSW, Australia. David Becker: Etchings and Engravings, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, solo exhibition of prints, February. 2000 Four person exhibition, Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia, Oct. 31 - Nov. 27, 2000. 1999 National Academy 174th Annual Exhibition, NY University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, WI Treasures Revealed: 19th and 20th Century American Works on Paper, National Academy, NY 1995 Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Prints, Bhopal, India Contemporary Prints, Selections from John Szoke Gallery, NYC, Drew University, Madison, NJ Collection Update, 1994, National Academy of Design Museum, NY 1994 David Becker and Robert Sholties, Peconic Gallery, Suffolk Community College, Riverhead, NY In Black and White: Works by Four Printmakers, Atrium Gallery, University of Connecticut, Storrs Aesthetics of Athletics: Sports, Games, and Exercise, Charles A. Wustum Musem, Racine, WI GMI IX Award Winners, Art Center Gallery, Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg 1993 Take Home a Nude benefit auction, NY Academy of Art Graduate School Of Figurative Art, NY 1993 American Prints: Last Half 20th Century, Jane Haslem Gallery, Washingtion, DC Outstanding American Prints, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha,WI National Academy of Design 168th Annual Exhibition, NY David Becker: Etchings, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, WA Portraits, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, WA 1992 The Print Fair, 7th Regiment Armory, NY 1991 166th Annual Exhibition, National Academy of Design, NY Alma College Collection, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan Modes of Expression, Potsdam College, SUNY, Potsdam, NY 1990 With Nothing On, Prints and Drawings of the Nude, New Orleans Museum of Art, LA Prints by Printmakers, Staller Art Center, SUNY-Stonybrook, NY Publications/Reviews 2007 November 60 Years of North American Prints: 1947-2007, Boston U. Art Gallery, Boston, MA 2003 July 11 Isthmus, Madison, “Welcome to My Nightmare,” by Robert Cozzolino. 2001 March 14 The Wall Street Journal, "Time Off: A Week of Diversions." Review of Progressive Printmakers (LVM) exhibition. 2001 February Isthmus, Madison, "America's Printland," by Jennifer Smith. 2001 February Capital Times, "The Crowned Prints," by Kevin Lynch. 1999 July Progressive Printmakers: Wisconsin Artists & the Print Renaissance. 1995 – 1999 Who’s Who in America. 1993 Summer The Journal of the Print World, review. March 14 The New York Times, review. March 12 The Daily Oklahoman, review. 1990 Dec. 13 The Capital Times, review. April 28 The Washingtion Post, review. March 25 The New York Times, review. Summer The Journal of the Print World, review. Selected Collections - additional collections available on requestArkansas Arts Center Foundation, Little Rock, AR Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL Brooklyn Museum, NYC Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, MI Elvehjem Museum of Art, U of Wisconson-Madison Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, HI Library of Congress, Washington, DC Metropolitan Museum, Miami, FL Museo de Arte Moderno, Cali, Columbia National Academy, NY, NY National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC New York Public Library, NY Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, MA United States Information Agency, Prague, Czech. Alberta College of Art, Alberta, Canada Albion College, Albion, MI Alma College, Alma, MI Art Center, South Bend, IN AT&T Corporate HQ, Plainfield, NJ Boston Printmakers, Boston, MA Bradley University, Peoria, IL Columbia Green Community College, Hudson, NY Columbus State University, Columbus, GA Davidson College, Davidson, NC Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA Georgia State University – Atlanta Hope College, Holland, MI Hunterdon Art Center, Clinton, NJ Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS Madison Art Center, Madison, WI Marui Imai Inc., Sapporo, Japan Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee, WI Minot Art Association, Minot, ND North Carolina Print/Drawing Society, Charlotte, NC North Texas State University – Denton Ohio University – Athens Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma State University, OK Quad Graphics, Milwaukee, WI Silvermine Guild of Arts, New Canaan, CT Springfield College, Springfield, MA St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY State University of New York – Fredonia State University of New York – Potsdam Trenton State College, Trenton, NJ University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ University of Colorado-Boulder University of Dallas, TX University of Louisville, Louisville, KN University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada University of North Dakota – Grand Forks University of South Dakota – Vermillion University of Tennesse – Knoxville West Chester State College, West Chester, PA Western Kentucky University – Bowling Green Private Collections Carla Leighton, New York, NY Marc Hauser...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Archival Paper

Reflection #1, Charcoal Drawing of a Man Gazing Down, Wearing a Bow Tie
Located in Chicago, IL
The dramatic, rich markings left by charcoal appear in the earliest primitive cave painting of early humans, which are believed to have been drawn with the charcoal created from burnt sticks. Of the various kinds of charcoal available today, David Becker often chooses vine charcoal which provides a smooth, softer line. Able to produce lines with either a subtle or strong quality, charcoal is wildly versatile, allowing Becker to approach texture, shading and tone with ease. He is able to capture both gestures and emotions with an intuitive mixture of the soft and the dark. David Becker Reflection #1 charcoal on paper 36h x 25w in 91.44h x 63.50w cm DB0009 David Becker Exhibitions 2017 Figure8, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Cicago, IL 2012 Eye Teeth Group Show, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, MI 2011 Art Chicago 2011, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2010 Art Chicago 2010, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2009 David Becker Retrospective, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Art Chicago 2009, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL The 184th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy Museum, NYC Selections, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2008 Art Chicago 2008, Represented by Ann Nathan Gallery, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 2007 Unruly Muse, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA NY (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Ann Nathan Gallery, 7th Regiment Armory, NY, NY Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 Palm Beach³, Ann Nathan Gallery, Palm Beach, FL 2005 SOFA NY (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Ann Nathan Gallery, 7th Regiment Armory, NY, NY Art Chicago in the Park, Butler Field, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Palm Beach³, Ann Nathan Gallery, Palm Beach, FL 2004 Contemporary Prints: National Academy Museum Collection, National Academy of Design, NYC Art Chicago 2004, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Fantastic & Visionary Art, touring exhibit: Orange, Manning, Riddoch, & Ballart Gallery, Australia Return of the Men, Peltz Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2003 Art Chicago 2003, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Fantastic & Visionary Art, touring exhibit: Orange Regional Gallery, New South Wales, Australia National Academy of Design 178th Annual Exhibition, NY, NY 2002 Art Chicago 2002, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Art of the 20th Century, Ann Nathan Gallery, Park Ave. Armory, NY, NY Outsider Art Fair, The Puck Building @ Houston & Lafayette Sts., NYC Self and Other Portraits, Wisconsin Artists, Charles Allis Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI Return of the Men, Peltz Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2001  Beyond the 50's, May 4 - July 1, Exhibit A, A Gallery of Art & Design, Birmingham, Michigan Outsider Art Fair, January 26-28, The Puck Building @ Houston & Lafayette Sts., NYC "FANTASTIC ART", April/May, Orange Regional Gallery, Orange NSW, Australia. David Becker: Etchings and Engravings, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, solo exhibition of prints, February. 2000  Four person exhibition, Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia, Oct. 31 - Nov. 27, 2000. 1999 National Academy 174th Annual Exhibition, NY University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, WI Treasures Revealed: 19th and 20th Century American Works on Paper, National Academy, NY 1995 Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Prints, Bhopal, India Contemporary Prints, Selections from John Szoke Gallery, NYC, Drew University, Madison, NJ Collection Update, 1994, National Academy of Design Museum, NY 1994 David Becker and Robert Sholties, Peconic Gallery, Suffolk Community College, Riverhead, NY In Black and White: Works by Four Printmakers, Atrium Gallery, University of Connecticut, Storrs Aesthetics of Athletics: Sports, Games, and Exercise, Charles A. Wustum Musem, Racine, WI GMI IX Award Winners, Art Center Gallery, Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg 1993 Take Home a Nude benefit auction, NY Academy of Art Graduate School Of Figurative Art, NY 1993 American Prints: Last Half 20th Century, Jane Haslem Gallery, Washingtion, DC Outstanding American Prints, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha,WI National Academy of Design 168th Annual Exhibition, NY David Becker: Etchings, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, WA Portraits, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, WA 1992 The Print Fair, 7th Regiment Armory, NY 1991 166th Annual Exhibition, National Academy of Design, NY Alma College Collection, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan Modes of Expression, Potsdam College, SUNY, Potsdam, NY 1990 With Nothing On, Prints and Drawings of the Nude, New Orleans Museum of Art, LA Prints by Printmakers, Staller Art Center, SUNY-Stonybrook, NY Publications/Reviews 2007 November 60 Years of North American Prints: 1947-2007, Boston U. Art Gallery, Boston, MA 2003 July 11 Isthmus, Madison, “Welcome to My Nightmare,” by Robert Cozzolino. 2001 March 14 The Wall Street Journal, "Time Off: A Week of Diversions." Review of Progressive Printmakers (LVM) exhibition. 2001 February Isthmus, Madison, "America's Printland," by Jennifer Smith. 2001 February Capital Times, "The Crowned Prints," by Kevin Lynch. 1999 July Progressive Printmakers: Wisconsin Artists & the Print Renaissance. 1995 – 1999 Who’s Who in America. 1993 Summer The Journal of the Print World, review. March 14 The New York Times, review. March 12 The Daily Oklahoman, review. 1990 Dec. 13 The Capital Times, review. April 28 The Washingtion Post, review. March 25 The New York Times, review. Summer The Journal of the Print World, review. Selected Collections - additional collections available on requestArkansas Arts Center Foundation, Little Rock, AR Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL Brooklyn Museum, NYC Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, MI Elvehjem Museum of Art, U of Wisconson-Madison Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, HI Library of Congress, Washington, DC Metropolitan Museum, Miami, FL Museo de Arte Moderno, Cali, Columbia National Academy, NY, NY National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC New York Public Library, NY Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, MA United States Information Agency, Prague, Czech. Alberta College of Art, Alberta, Canada Albion College, Albion, MI Alma College, Alma, MI Art Center, South Bend, IN AT&T Corporate HQ, Plainfield, NJ Boston Printmakers, Boston, MA Bradley University, Peoria, IL Columbia Green Community College, Hudson, NY Columbus State University, Columbus, GA Davidson College, Davidson, NC Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA Georgia State University – Atlanta Hope College, Holland, MI Hunterdon Art Center, Clinton, NJ Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS Madison Art Center, Madison, WI Marui Imai Inc., Sapporo, Japan Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee, WI Minot Art Association, Minot, ND North Carolina Print/Drawing Society, Charlotte, NC North Texas State University – Denton Ohio University – Athens Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma State University, OK Quad Graphics, Milwaukee, WI Silvermine Guild of Arts, New Canaan, CT Springfield College, Springfield, MA St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY State University of New York – Fredonia State University of New York – Potsdam Trenton State College, Trenton, NJ University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ University of Colorado-Boulder University of Dallas, TX University of Louisville, Louisville, KN University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada University of North Dakota – Grand Forks University of South Dakota – Vermillion University of Tennesse – Knoxville West Chester State College, West Chester, PA Western Kentucky University – Bowling Green Private Collections Carla Leighton, New York, NY Marc Hauser, Chicago, IL Michael John Hofer, Chicago, IL Drs. Mark & Helene Connolly, River Forest, IL Jamie Kalikow, New York, NY Dianne & Jim Blanco, Chicago, IL Denise Roberge, Palm Desert, CA Tish & Philip Messinger, Creskill, NJ Brian Wesphal & Michael McVicker, Chicago, IL Ralph Privoznik, Lafayette, IN Candice Groot, Evanston, IL Shomaker/Ruud Collection, Chicago, IL Braden Berkey and Robert Bartlett, Chicago, IL Bill and Karyn Silverstein, Highland Park, IL Steve Weitz, Lovettsville, VA Mary Allice Wimmer, Madison, WI Ann & Robert Avery...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Charcoal

July 26, 2021 (Dramatic Pink Sunset Illuminating Clouds, oil on canvas, framed)
Located in Hudson, NY
July 26, 2021 (Dramatic Pink Sunset Illuminating Clouds, oil on canvas, framed) by Carl Grauer Oil on Canvas mounted on board 9 x 12 inches framed in painted white wood floater frame...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

'Restlessly Westward'. Abstract Blue White Movement Minimalist Travel Nature
Located in Penzance, GB
'Restlessly Westward' Original Artwork, Unframed _______________________ The west wind is blowing in again off the Atlantic, from the far horizons where the water and the sky join h...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Photogram, Paint, Paper, Mixed Media

Jumanji 44, Original Drawing, Graphite Pencil, Landscape, Playing cards
Located in AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FR
Graphite Pencil on archival paper 1090 g/m² - Original Drawing, Graphite Pencil, Landscape, Playing cards Work Title : Jumanji #44 (series) Artist : Marie Havel (French artist, Born...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Graphite

Pink moon
Located in London, GB
oil painting on board 2023
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

Luxembourg garden, 70x50cm
Located in Yerevan, AM
Luxembourg garden 70x50 cm
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel, Gouache

I Missed You
Located in Ottawa, ON
Andrew Morrow is a contemporary Canadian painter whose work is characterized by a restless desire to both inhabit and extend Western historical figurative painting. His current pract...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Pastel, Archival Paper

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 1
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on craft paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper

Muse (indigo)
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Watercolor / Pastel / Figurative Art / Human Figure / Nude
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Charlie Mackesy Original drawing of New Orleans Jazz musicians
Located in Harkstead, GB
A very atmospheric and stylish snapshot of Jazz musicians Charlie Mackesy “A song to the end of slavery’ Charcoal on paper with touches of gold Signed and inscribed with title Imag...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gold

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 15
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on black paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Glue

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 9
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on A4 paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making an...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Glue

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 10
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on A4 paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making an...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 12
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on black paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper

Blossom Moon Jar Drawing 6
Located in Seoul, KR
ABOUT THE ARTWORK Cut-outs on A4 paper/ Collage work for Blossom Moon Jars Series. About Moon Jars The characteristic of the method of making moon jars is the technique of making an...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper

Shooo-(II)
Located in Seoul, KR
ARTIST STATEMENT My work focuses on the relationship between ‘Writing and Drawing’. From a distance, it appears to be a drawn image but a closer look reveals innumerable minute handw...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Leo Guida, Reginald K. Gee, David Barnett, and Manuel Santelices. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 1.25 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $50 and tops out at $1,425,000, while the average work sells for $1,202.

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