Mark Beard

Standing Man with Weight Bar (Modern Portrait of Male Athlete)

date unknown

Colorful urban street scene of Brooklyn Bridge, NYC City Landscape Painting by William Clutz "Roebling's Dream, The Great East River Bridge", 1990 oil on canvas 40 x 70 inches, 41 3/...

Modern impressionist style figurative painting of a family in a colorful park landscape “Park Spring” painted by William Clutz in 1996 60 x 50 inches in a natural wood floater frame Wire backing, signed lower right This figurative oil on canvas painting was made in 1996 by William Clutz as part of a series of works called "Crossings". These paintings were a study of NYC dwellers engaging in the simple, daily activity of crossing the street. In this piece, Clutz captures a joyful moment of a mother and father walking in a sunlit park landscape with their young child. Bright sunlight radiates through lush fall foliage and fills the scene with a soft orange light. With broad, expressionistic brushstrokes, he discovers the extraordinary in the ordinary, by emphasizing the effects of sunlight on the human form. The painting is in excellent condition and is framed in a natural wood floater frame. More about the artist: In New York in the early 50's and 60's, abstract expressionism was the orthodox approach to art at the time. However, Clutz was committed to his personal style that focused on abstracted human figures within urban tableaux. Working in a context of artists who challenged abstract expressionism's popularity in New York, Clutz established himself as a significant proponent of abstract figuration. His paintings focus on human figures within the urban environment, often exposing the transfiguration of his subjects as they travel through the complex light of city streets or summer parks, as shown in two of his early works. Clutz's interest in working from direct observation of urban life was influenced by a long-standing interest in German Expressionism, as well as artists like Henri Matisse, Arshile Gorky, and Nicholas De Stael...

Large, photo-realist painting on canvas featuring a fire engine red and white industrial crane against a bright sky blue background 69 x 48 x 2 inches oil on canvas, thin wood stripping signed verso, "Joseph E. Richards" Hangs with wire installed on the back Excellent condition, ready to hang as is This precisely detailed photo-realist painting was made by Joseph E. Richards in 1992. The artist painted this piece when he was 71 years old during a long career of painting trains, cargo ships, and industrial machinery. Richards served in the US Navy during WWII and went on to study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before showing with Ivan Karp of O.K. Harris Gallery in NYC. The artist moved upstate to Hillsdale, NY for the later years of his life. This painting captures one of Richards' most beloved subjects, industrial cranes. With a photo-realist approach to the subject, Richards was able to capture detailed changes in light and shadow, shape and form. The red and white crane, painted with extreme detail and focus, vividly contrasts against a bright blue sky. Areas of brown rust, attesting to the machine's power and longevity, are captured with immaculate precision. Since the painting has a very smooth surface, one could easily confuse this painting with a photograph. It is not until you examine the painting up close, do you realize the artist's calculated brushwork. The painting is framed with natural wood stripping. The work is lightweight and easy to hang with pre-installed wire. The artist's signature is located on the back of the canvas. About the artist: Joseph Richards...

Vertical photo-realist painting on canvas of pale pink ball with steel colored hook on a bright sky blue background 72 x 36 x 1.5 inches oil on canvas, thin wood stripping signed "Richards" on bottom right corner in yellow paint wire is installed on the back for easy hanging This precisely detailed photo-realist painting was made by Joseph E. Richards in 1981. The artist painted this piece when he was 60 years old during a successful career painting trains, cargo ships, and industrial machinery. Richards served in the US Navy during WWII and went on to study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before showing with Ivan Karp of O.K. Harris Gallery in NYC. The artist moved upstate to Hillsdale, NY for the later years of his life. This painting captures one of Richards' most beloved subjects, close up views of industrial equipment against a vivid blue sky. With a photo-realist approach to the subject, Richard was able to capture detailed changes in light and shadow, shape and form. The pale pink colored ball and steel colored hook, down to each screw and bolt, is completed with extreme focus and precision. One could easily confuse this painting with a photograph since it was completed with a very smooth application of paint, with no texture built upon the surface. It is not until you examine the painting up close, do you realize the artist's calculated brushwork. The painting is framed with natural wood stripping. The work is lightweight and easy to hang with wire installed on the back.The artist's signature is located on the front and back of the canvas. About the artist: Joseph Richards’ precisely painted canvases of giant cranes, cargo booms, propellers and train engines are fueled with a fascination like that of a six-year old boy. Working directly from photographs, Richards unites light and color together as one element, evident in the reflective surfaces of steel. The otherwise mundane signs of corrosive wear are magnified; rust stains glow on the canvas and yellow painted pulleys radiate like beacons against a bright, blue sky. Richards finds beauty in their dramatic color, resilient texture, definitive form and functionality. Richards paints sections of these objects in grand scale, with canvases up to 6 feet long and eye-popping color, calling attention to their massive proportions and exceptional strength. Richards had solo exhibits in New York City, Scottsdale AZ, and Washington DC, and his work is found in private and corporate collections here and abroad, e.g., the Tucson Museum of Fine Arts, Mobil Oil, Lankenau Hospital in Philadelphia, and E. Jean Belloni in Geneva, Switzerland. Resume: Born in 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa, Joseph Richards left for Chicago after high school to pursue a career in art. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1942 – 1945, he went on to study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He eventually settled with his wife, Betty, in New York City. In 1969, longtime dealer Ivan Karp opened The OK Harris Gallery on West Broadway in Manhattan’s SoHo. Karp was at the forefront of the Photorealism movement, showing artists such as Duane Hanson and Manny Farber...