Fred Mitchell

"Untitled", Small Multicolor Abstract, Oil on Canvas, Signed By the Artist

Late 1940's, Early 1950's

SALE ONE WEEK ONLY "Red Harmony" is an abstract painting that does have a sculptural presence in the shapes of the red areas. The lush greens blend various shades into a background that while it does contrast sharply with the reds, it is not in conflict. The overall effect of this work is dynamic in its energy while at the same time harmonious. One of the original Cass Corridor artists from the 1960s William Antonow studied at the School of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts (now the College for Creative Studies) and at Wayne State University, where he received his BFA (1967) and MA (1970.) Antonow’s first one-person show at the Willis Gallery in 1971, represented a radical departure from his early work – abstract bronzes shown at the Michigan Artists exhibitions at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1969 and 1970. A founding member of the Willis, Antonow publicized his exhibition with a cryptic invitation stating, “art isn’t anything.” Echoing the challenge implicit in the exhibition announcement, the works in the show consisted of precariously balanced piles of such non-art materials as wood crates and barrels, corrugated paper or cardboard, cellophane and beer cans. These brash, paint-slathered juxtapositions of salvaged objects were perhaps the first example of the nascent “tough art” aesthetic of the Cass Corridor. (Both Gordon Newton’s wood constructions and Bob Sestok’s crude “radio wheels” first appeared in 1972.) In 1975, in the inaugural group exhibition of the Willis at its new location in the Fisher Building...

This small multicolor abstract is an exemplary work of Mexican-American artist Nora Chapa Mendoza. This vibrantly colorful landscape is oil on canvas and exhibits the cool colors that evoke images of a Mexican or American Southwest desert sunset. The painting is signed by the artist and this work comes with the metal easel that is seen displayed in the photos. Nora Mendoza...

Robert's brilliant abstract paintings are easily identified with energized aspects of the universe as in sun burst, nebula, black hole, or far away. His Zen practice allows him release from earthly concerns to soar amongst the stars. Robert Piatek...

SALE ONE WEEK ONLY The energy and gusto of the applied paint in "Untitled Abstract" appears close to violent except for the calming influence of the circle in the middle. The red circle tempers the movement a little and brings all the strokes and wild directions into a harmony that is bursting with life. This is an extraordinarily expressive painting by Simpson. Simpson became the first African American to receive a prestigious five-year fellowship from the Charleston Scientific and Cultural Education fund and left South Carolina in 1949 for New York City after he finished high school. He attended New York University and Cooper Union while working in the frame shop of Herbert Benevy. Many well-known artists came to the frame shop and in time critiqued Simpson's work and developed a relationship with him. At NYU Simpson became acquainted with Hale Woodruff...

"House, and Flowers, and Moonlight," an original oil on canvas by Ralph Rosenborg, is a piece for the true collector. In 1988, Louise Nevelson wrote: "Ralph Rosenborg was the first recognized pioneer whose experimental art announced the coming of Abstract Expressionism in the United States during the mid-1930s. Rosenborg was the first to introduce and instruct Jackson Pollock on Abstract Expressionism while at the Non-Objective Painting Museum in the early 1940s, which became the Guggenheim Museum. Ralph Rosenborg is The American Artist. Rosenborg produced daring artworks and explored the possibilities of movements that are expressive of ideas, sensations and passions intended to provoke pure emotions." Both the technical talent of Rosenborg and his choice of subject matter pair perfectly with custom wood frame. This masterful work is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, abstract expressionism, landscapes, and color-rich works. This Rosenborg painting has an important history, with the rare provenance of moving through both Sothebys and Christies auction houses, as well as two notable dealers including Nat Halper and H. Marc Moyens. Full provenance details are outlined below. Artist: RALPH ROSENBORG (1913-1992) Title: HOUSE, AND FLOWERS, AND MOONLIGHT Medium & Surface: ORIGINAL OIL ON CANVAS (framed) Signed: HAND SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTIST LOWER RIGHT AND ON VERSO Year Created: 1957 Country of Creation: UNITED STATES Canvas Dimensions: 22.25 x 28.25 INCHES Frame Dimensions:* 33.25 x 39.25 x 1.875 INCHES *This work of art is being sold framed. Additional Info: HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE WORK BY RALPH ROSENBORG IN GREAT CONDITION AND FEATURING ITS BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM WOOD FRAME. ORIGINAL ARTIST LABEL IS AFFIXED TO VERSO, AS WELL AS SOTHEBY'S AND CHRISTIE'S LABELS. Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED Provenance: CHRISTIE’S, NEW YORK, JAN 12, 2010 COLLECTION OF H. MARC MOYENS SOTHEBY’S, NEW YORK, APRIL 1, 1998 COLLECTION OF NATHAN (1907-1983) & HELEN HALPER (1908-1996), MA HCE GALLERY, PROVINCETOWN, MA (OWNED BY NATHAN HALPER) About the Artist: Ralph Rosenborg, an American painter, was known for his abstract paintings that inclined not toward geometric form, but rather the interpretation of nature. Rosenborg was born in New York in 1913, his talent for the fine art appearing early. While still in high school, he won a scholarship to classes at the American Museum of Natural History, meeting Henriette Reiss, who he continued to study under privately well after the classes ended. Reiss had worked with Wassily Kandinsky earlier in her career, and as such introduced Rosenborg to the vast arena of vanguard European ideas, as well as provided him a broad-based instruction in music, literature, and art history. After four years, Rosenborg was ready to exhibit. He did so initially in group exhibitions at ACA Galleries, and later in Mayor La Guardia’s 1934 Mile of Art at Radio City. He quickly gained notoriety, and began to show frequently throughout the 1930s, leading up to his first solo exhibition at the Eighth Street Theater...

Blue Tarp, oil on canvas, 60 x 50 in. (unframed, gallery-wrapped canvas). Oonju Chun’s large abstract expressionist paintings delightfully employ the basic...

Parallel Construction, oil on canvas, 48 x 54 in. Oonju Chun’s large abstract expressionist paintings delightfully employ the basics of good, nonobjective ...

Why The Long Face is an artistic collaboration by painters Mark Wilson and Paola Zarate where they painted simultaneously, often finishing each other's brushstrokes. The piece challe...