Since spending time with Joan Brown's paintings, I've been looking at some of another Bay Area Figurative artists work - David Park. (He was one of the earlier group that included Bischoff and Diebenkorn; Joan Brown was considered part of the second generation.) At left is Bus Stop (1952). That small figure to the left of the word "coach" just holds those two areas together like a staple, doesn't he? I like the simplicity, the limited palette, the occasional curve to break up the verticals. What do you think?Here's one you could go see if you're anywhere near the Hackett Freedman Gallery. It's called Nude with Striped Rug.
This one seems to have a whiff of Matisse about it, doesn't it? Also makes me feel a little better about my hips. . .maybe time for the gym.
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I'm fascinated by the light on the face of the man at the center of Bus Stop. Do you suppose it was painted, or did David Park 'simply' (nothing simple about it!) paint around the white of the paper to create the effect?
ReplyDeleteLove your observation about the 'staple' of the distant figure.
Judging by others in the book I have, I think it's painted. Also, what I should have mentioned is that Bus Stop is oil on canvas. The other is gouache on paper. The more I look at Bus Stop the more I like that light, too. The design aspects are so strong - like the distorted car shape on the right, too. Isn't the headlight just the shape needed there?
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