Charles Arnoldi was born in 1946 in Dayton, Ohio. He has become a popular California artist best known for his brightly colored abstract paintings and prints that incorporate the use of wood as an expressive medium, often using tree branches and twigs. Arnoldi lives in Malibu and has had considerable financial success and celebrity attention.
Arnoldi arrived in Southern California in 1965 and spent two years at Ventura Junior College before receiving a full scholarship to the Art Center School in Los Angeles. He only lasted two weeks at his new school before becoming frustrated with limitations imposed upon him as an illustrator. Arnoldi soon enrolled at the Chouinard Art Institute and gained immediate recognition for his skill when he received a Los Angeles County Museum of Art talent award.
Arnoldi experimented with various painting techniques and struggled to find a solid interpretation of his artistic vision. He began to use branches and twigs to make up the lines within his paintings — "building" a painting with them. His earliest works were almost classic in their simplicity and shape, resembling woven stick baskets delicately balanced. Arnoldi concentrated on his twig painting for eight years, constructing many different forms, freestanding structures, sticks and string, twigs taped together densely or openly.
In 1977, Arnoldi had one of his small stick structures created in bronze. It was his first metal sculpture, and he found that the metal gave permanence to his wooden structures. In the 1980s color started to become more important to Arnoldi, and he used bright pigments to give even more definition to his three-dimensional pieces. He also started to paint on canvas, always reflecting the elements of his wood paintings.
In 1980, Arnoldi painted his interpretation of the logjam that occurred as a result of the Mount St. Helens volcano eruption. He juxtaposed his earth-toned canvas against a similar painting created entirely of sticks, mimicking the image on the painted canvas. He was constantly redefining his artistic approaches, and in the late 1980s started working with large plywood sheets. He glued the layered sheets together, deconstructed the piece using a chainsaw to cut jagged scars into the wood, and then painted it. He was now involved in a new process of building up and tearing down. His ever-evolving style took yet another direction when he started using heavy blocks of wood brightly painted and mounted on the wall. He made a point of preserving the integrity of wood by not sanding away any exposed grain.
In the 1990s Arnoldi departed from the rigidity of his wood creations by painting on canvas. His paintings from this period are predominantly black and white and display free-flowing organic shapes like twists and loops with a sense of motion not seen before in his work.
Arnoldi's work has been exhibited throughout his career in many solo and group shows. His first one-man show was at the Riko Mizuno Gallery in Los Angeles in 1971 and subsequent solo exhibitions followed at the James Corcoran Gallery in Los Angeles, (1980–85), and the Arts Club of Chicago, Illinois (1986). His group exhibitions include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1983), the Brooklyn Museum (1986) and the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (1992).
Find original Charles Arnoldi art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Joseph Grossman Fine Art)
$105,000
Tumble
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Charles Arnoldi, is an American painter, sculptor and printmaker. He was born April 10, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio. Charles Arnoldi has been described as an artist who “draws in space” to...
Canvas, Acrylic
$112,000
First Rights
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Charles Arnoldi, is an American painter, sculptor and printmaker. He was born April 10, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio. Charles Arnoldi has been described as an artist who “draws in space” to...
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
$29,800
Clune
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
“Clune” abstract acrylic on canvas signed on verso by American artist, Charles Arnoldi (b. 1946) and dated 1978. Arnoldi’s work is permanently displayed at the Art Institute of Chic...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,950
H 27 in W 36 in D 1.3 in
Light Construction, Construction Series, Abstract Geometric Painting
By Robert Petrick
Located in Los Angeles, CA
“Light Construction” is like a city being assembled from radiance itself. Blocks of saturated orange and electric blue interlock like scaffolding and sky, while slabs of olive green ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,650
H 40 in W 80 in
800 Circles - Large Original Contemporary Colorful Abstract Geometric Painting
By Brandon Neher
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Neher is a California artist whose original paintings embody a profound exploration of space, structure, and balance, infused with a touch of modern minimalism. Drawing inspi...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,700
H 35 in W 31 in
Dynamic Tension 3 - Original Geometric Contemporary Abstract Painting
By Heny Steinberg
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mexican artist Heny Steinberg’s mid-century modern inspired abstract artworks invite us to travel from the map to the localized event. She is suggesting that the spatial memory guid...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Fold, Contemporary Abstract Collage Painting
By Matt Higgins
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Collage has always been a part of the artist's work. The idea of reusing, recontextualizing, and even resurrecting parts of the painting. From an economic standpoint the materials ar...
Canvas, Acrylic, Vinyl
$1,900
H 40 in W 30 in D 1.5 in
Rise and Fall, Contemporary Monochrome Geometric Abstract Painting
By Matt Higgins
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This painting combines geometric and organic shapes to create a sense of movement and rhythm. A variety of tools, including soft brushes, chip brushes, a drywall scraper, and a rubbe...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,750
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in D 1.19 in
French Contemporary Art by Aude de Voc - L'Espoir
By Aude de Voc
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on canvas Aude de Voc is a self-taught contemporary painter born in 1978 who lives and works in Paris, France. Desiring to transform, confront and mix materials, her work is...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,500
H 36 in W 36 in
Aura VI /// Contemporary Abstract Geometric Colorfield Circles Painting Art
By Jack Graves III
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Aura VI" Series: Aura *Signed by Graves lower right. It is also signed, dated, and titled on verso Year: 2024 Medium: Original Acryl...
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
$3,400
H 44 in W 44 in
484 Circles V.2 - Original Contemporary Blue Tone Abstract Geometric Painting
By Brandon Neher
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Neher is a California artist whose original paintings embody a profound exploration of space, structure, and balance, infused with a touch of modern minimalism. Drawing inspi...
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$12,000
H 51 in W 76 in
Morning Dew - Large Original Abstract Expressionism Painting on Canvas
By Bruce Rubenstein
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$10,500
H 52 in W 78 in
Return to Forever - Large Original Abstract Expressionism Painting on Canvas
By Bruce Rubenstein
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$4,000
H 50 in W 60 in D 1.5 in
Mirror Lake Minimal, Mirror Lake Series, Abstract Geometric Painting
By Robert Petrick
Located in Los Angeles, CA
“Mirror Lake Minimal” establishes a disciplined visual language—controlled, reductive, and quietly evocative. The symmetry of the black forms creates a stable, almost architectural t...
Canvas, Acrylic
$7,000
H 55 in W 48 in
Trees of Life II - Original Abstract Expressionism Painting on Canvas
By Bruce Rubenstein
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$7,500
H 42 in W 66 in
Star Trek - Large Original Abstract Painting Ready to Hang
By Bruce Rubenstein
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The paintings of Bruce Rubenstein seamlessly marry sophistication with affordability. His original art merges the creative attitudes of the two distinct art hot spots of New York and Los Angeles. Rubenstein's work has a rigid edge and strong composition but maintains organic shapes and soft colors as well. His works have a character that brightens a space. His paintings pull from abstract expressionism and cubism but maintain a contemporary edge that strikes the viewer. His work seems collectively new and timeless at once. This large affordable one-of-a-kind 42 inch high by 66 inch wide and 1.5 inch deep artwork is a mixed media composition on canvas. It is stretched, wired, and ready to hang. This large abstract painting is signed by the artist on the front and back of the artwork. The sides are painted and it does not require framing. Free local Los Angeles area delivery. Affordable Continental U.S. and worldwide shipping available. Provenance: Artplex Gallery. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included. While the artist has chosen to keep the price upon request, this captivating piece embodies both sophistication and exceptional value. Bruce Rubenstein specializes in large-scale artworks, using huge canvases to tell his stories. Born and raised in New York, he moved to Los Angeles in 1985. His mixed media artworks defy categorization, blending abstract forms and organic shapes with subtle hints of figures and symbols. Adrien Brody and Mickey Rourke are among Rubenstein’s collectors. Bruce Rubenstein’s artistic influences include artists from Joan Miró and Jean Arp to Gerhard Richter and Pablo Picasso. “He is an artist, and that means someone who cannot restrain the flow of ideas,” says author David Rodgers. “He is someone who they just burst out of, who cannot help but communicate, and who sees no reason to stop. He’s a man not limited by media to communicate the stories that he needs to (and must) tell, through any medium he feels necessary.” His works are represented by Artplex Gallery Los Angeles and have been exhibited and collected worldwide, including exhibitions in Austria and Israel. REPRESENTATION Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, USA EXHIBITIONS 2023 Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Beijing Contemporary Art Expo Crossing Art Collective Beijing, China 2022 Shenzhen Art Fair, Shenzhen, China Westbund Art Fair, Shanghai, China MAC Fine Art, Power Painters, Delray, FL Westbund Art & Design, Shanghai, China (solo) Context Art Miami, Miami, FL (solo) Crossing Art Gallery, NYC, NY (solo) 2021 “Space Time Fragments,” Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA MAC Fine Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL MAC Fine Art, Jupiter, FL MAC Fine Art, Miami, FL (solo) 2020 MAC Fine Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL Wynwood Art Festival, Miami, FL Artspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA MAC Fine Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL (solo) Gottling Gallery, Palm Springs, CA (solo) Castelli Art Space, Culver City, CA (solo) 2019 MAC Fine Art, Jupiter, FL Artspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Palm Springs Art Fair, Palm Springs, CA Glenn Dallas Gallery...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,750
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in D 1.19 in
French Contemporary Art by Aude de Voc - Carre Rouge
By Aude de Voc
Located in Paris, IDF
Acrylic on canvas Aude de Voc is a self-taught contemporary painter born in 1978 who lives and works in Paris, France. Desiring to transform, confront and mix materials, her work is...
Canvas, Acrylic
$545
H 15.75 in W 19.69 in D 0.79 in
Floating Memories. Small abstract painting, blue, mint, grey, expressionism
By Tatiana Hellum
Located in Oslo, NO
Floating Memories is a medium-sized abstract expressionist painting (40 x 50 cm) inspired by the quiet movement of water, distant horizons, and the fragile nature of memory. Soft pas...
Canvas, Acrylic
Radar
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Charles Arnoldi. "Radar" is an abstract acrylic on plywood painting executed in a colorful palette by contemporary artist by Charles Arnoldi. Signed verso, "1987 Arnoldi" Provenance: SCAPE (Southern California Art Project and Exhibitions), Corona del Mar...
Plywood, Acrylic
Ram
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Phoenix, AZ
acrylic on canvas b. 1946, Dayton, Ohio Since his breakthrough structures made out of branches in the late ‘70s, Charles Arnoldi has worked in numerous styles and media, from charc...
Canvas, Acrylic
Soriano
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Phoenix, AZ
acrylic on canvas b. 1946, Dayton, Ohio Since his breakthrough structures made out of branches in the late ‘70s, Charles Arnoldi has worked in numerous styles and media, from charc...
Canvas, Acrylic
Untitled
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Claiming, “I’m just trying to make art with some sense of dignity, and honesty, and integrity,” Charles Arnoldi has been blurring the boundaries between painting and sculpture, abstr...
Plywood, Acrylic
Tourniquet
By Charles Arnoldi
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Claiming, “I’m just trying to make art with some sense of dignity, and honesty, and integrity,” Charles Arnoldi has been blurring the boundaries between painting and sculpture, abstr...
Copper