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Bill Owens Art

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.

Find Bill Owens photography on 1stDibs.

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Artist: Bill Owens
We're Really Happy, from Suburbia series
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
"We're really happy. Our kids are healthy, we eat good food, and we have a really nice home." Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. Signed, print date, misc. notation in pencil on vers...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Bill Owens: Suburbia Portfolio (15 photographs)
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Bill Owens Portfolio A selection of fifteen photographs from the series, Suburbia Edition of 15 Each photograph is signed and numbered in pencil with artist stamp in black ink on pri...
Category

1970s Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

New Suburbia, Hayward (Weed Wacker), from New Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

We really enjoy getting together, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
"We really enjoy getting together with our friends to drink and dance. It's a wild party and we're having a great time." from series, Suburbia Edition of 15 Signed, dated and number...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Untitled (Overview of cul-de-sac)
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Signed, print date, misc. notation in pencil on verso. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography ...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

We like to play war, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

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 Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

We don't have to conform, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

C Print

Untitled (Woman Vacuuming), from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Do Coke, Los Angeles, CA
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
"After work we change clothes, redo our makeup, do some coke and go dancing." Edition of 10 Signed and numbered in black ink on print verso. Bill Owens was born and raised...
Category

1980s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

C Print

Christina's Room
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
"I wanted Christina to learn some responsibility for cleaning her room, but it didn't work." Edition of 15 Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. Signed, numbered, and dated in pencil wi...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christina's Room
$3,500 Sale Price
39% Off
Nixon on TV by Bill Owens, 1971, Silver Gelatin Print, Photography
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Nixon on TV by Bill Owens presents a living room scene. An image of Richard Nixon is frozen mid speech on the television screen. A framed print of Vase with Twelve Sunflowers by Vinc...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

We're not doing too badly, CA, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 10 Signed and numbered in black ink on print verso. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up phot...
Category

1980s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Color

When school is out we sunbathe all day and dance all night
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Kens SC, CA, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 10 Signed, numbered, and print date. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and beg...
Category

1980s Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

C Print

Every summer we go all out on our camp in Yosemite, from Leisure
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Its a great pleasure to watch yourself make love
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Parade Woman Holding American Flag, from Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from Suburbia series
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Artist Proof Signed and numbered in pencil with artist copyright stamp in black ink on print verso. Series: Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Prada, Manhattan, New Suburbia
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 5 Signed, titled, and numbered. Series: New Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and bega...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

McDonald's Modern Day Care Center, from Leisure series
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Untitled (Driveway) - Black and White Landscape, Suburban, Neighborhood
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Untitled (Driveway) by Bill Owens presents a tranquil scene. A long driveway leads up to a house in a suburban neighborhood. Two trash cans sit in front of the garage. The garage doo...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

I bought the lawn
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

My dad thinks it's a good idea
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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...
Category

1970s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sunday Afternoon, from Suburbia series
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Walmart
By Bill Owens
Located in New York, NY
Chromogenic print Signed, verso This photograph is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

C Print

Walmart
Price Upon Request
New Suburbia, Hayward (Two Balls)
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 15 Signed, titled and numbered. Series: New Suburbia, Hayward Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

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Cuba, Havana, Two Black and White Photographs, Waiting for Fidel Castro
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Previously Available Items
A lot of people say we're chunks of meat
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
A lot of people say we're chunks of meat, 1974 Gelatin silver print 14 x 10 3/4 in. Signed and dated in black ink on margin Bill Owens was born and rai...
Category

1970s American Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

At Rosie O' Grady's Goodtime Emporium (Disco dancer)
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, 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 Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Our house was built with the living room in back
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 15 Signed. From Suburbia Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and began his journey as a documenta...
Category

1970s Modern Bill Owens Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Every summer we go all out on our camp in Yosemite, from Leisure
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
"Every summer we go all out on our camp in Yosemite. I do the barbequing" Edition of 15 Signed, dated, and numbered. Series: Leisure Bill Owens was born and raised in California. Af...
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20th Century Contemporary Bill Owens Art

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Silver Gelatin

Hockney Painted This Pool
By Bill Owens
Located in Denton, TX
Edition 10 Signed and numbered in black ink on print verso. Bill Owens was born and raised in California. After volunteering in the Peace Corps he picked up photography and began hi...
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1980s Contemporary Bill Owens Art

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Bill Owens art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Bill Owens art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art 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, c print, 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 art, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Peter Berlin, Henry Horenstein, and Jeffrey Silverthorne. Bill Owens art 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 $20,000, while the average work can sell for $3,900.

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