USA - Contemporary Art

Stunning metal sign of a school girl letting you know the speed limit in the school zone. 48" tall. Double sided. Great coloring, with grey, light blues an...

A framed black and white street photograph by Vivian Maier (American, 1926-2009), "Untitled, June 25, 1961". This is a gelatin silver print printed in 201...

Original artwork. The art and design continuum of form and space. Hand torn / sculpted canvas, black gesso, thin wood frame.

Introducing "Le Fourré" (The Thicket) - Our newest limited release art print series. Crafted with a meticulous blend of charcoal, oil stick, and graph...

Original framed Contemporary Art in Acrylic on Canvas in warm earth color palette. Executed in hard-edge technique with textured and raw surface. Has a wood Frame and it is Initiale...

Large Jean Picart Le Doux "Horizon Marin" tapestry handwoven at Atelier Pinton in Aubusson France. Signed. Limited edition. Virtually no signs of wear. ...

A large and powerful pair of Japanese calligraphic works, mid 20th century, Japan. One reading "Dragon", the other reading "Tiger". Ink on handmade paper, framed. The brush strok...

Rendered with reverent precision, this hand-signed 1996 depiction of the Great Sphinx of Giza emerges from its papyrus canvas in a luminous tableau of ancient mystique and modern art...

Contemporary French artist Yann Masseyeff creates a dramatic wall sculpture. Using ceramic / stoneware spheres of different design in an exposed shadow box made of white wood. Lighting creates...

"Abstract Flowers I" serigraph on wove paper by Peter Max, circa 2017. The piece is a unique work with very vibrant and bright colors and is hand signed "Max" in lower right hand co...

Art deco magic penguin mechanical dispenser box designed by Ronson. A beautiful, exceedingly rare and very decorative mechanical dispenser desk box, created in the city of Newark, N...

A framed photograph by Chinese American photographer Don Hong-Oai (1929-2004). Entitled in Chinese "Playing with Hoops, Vietnam". The work is a sepia-toned gelatin-silver print. It is stamped with three red artist seals and black ink Chinese inscription, mounted and framed under plexiglass. Sight is 10.5"h x 13.5"w. It is one of the matching pair from an American collection. Don Hong-Oai was born in Canton, China but raised and educated in Saigon, Vietnam. At age 13 he began an apprenticeship at a Chinese photo and portrait shop. In 1979 he immigrated to the United States and settled in the Chinatown of San Francisco. Don began making a living by selling his landscape photographs in front of Macy’s and began to receive recognition for his craftsmanship. His style was heavily influenced by the legendary photographer Long Chin...

Contemporary abstract lithograph by Swedish artist Leif Knudsen (1928-1975). Signed and dated. Framed under glass.

Framed Size: 28 1/4"W ...

This unique piece of Mid Century wall art features a round mirror set within a sleek chrome metal frame, exuding a modern, minimalist appeal. Measuring 30.25”x30.5”. The mirror itsel...

Selection of Mid-Century jazz themed paintings, American, circa 1930s-1970s. From left to right, they are: 1) New Orleans jazz watercolor by Leo Meirsdorff...

Striking and bold exterior by listed Santa Fe artist JK Lamkin who died last year, having sizzling color palette of purple, magenta, orange, white and turquo...

A landmark sign from downtown Los Angeles. This metal sign is comprised of 16 pieces and was the business sign for the Los Angeles Times newspaper. It was on the front of their build...

Paul Jenkins "Phenomena Prism Chambers" Signed Paul Jenkins(Ic), signed and dated Paul Jenkins 1984 and titled on the reverse Acrylic on canvas Measures: 77" x 96" Provenance : ...

Large Curtis Jere wall sculpture of a peacock / swan. Completely original in very good to excellent condition metal sculpture with a brass finish and applied patina creating the dark...

Dancing with my Shadow by Courtney Kinnare 2024 Resin, Acrylic, Ink, & Pigment Powder on Mirrored Glass Dia 24" Inspired by a long night getting lost in the dark desert and findi...

AL-01 (3 of 10) Numbered and signed. Sand-cast aluminum (tumbled, sand-blasted, brushed and waxed). This piece is original and part of a limited edition of 10 by Amee Allsop. Each...

Complete Set of 6 Guggenheim Museum Retrospective Limited Edition Robert Rauschenberg porcelain plates dated 1997. Each plate features a different screen-printed image of Rauschenb...

Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...

1970's Italian Malachite and diamonds gold ring. 14K gold,. Has wear by age and use.

Humboldt County Line freeway sign from Northern California. Made in 1965. Great piece of Marijuana history as well as transportation Americana. 7 feet wid...

ClockClock 24 is both a kinetic sculpture and a functioning wall clock. It has been a signature piece of Humans since 1982 since it was first launched in 2016. The individual clock h...

After Pablo Picasso (Spanish/ French, 1881-1973), Buste de Femme au Chapeau Bleu, serigraph on silk. A hand-colored and hand pulled scarf in 12 color...

Step into the quirky charm of mid-century modern design with this Vintage Curtis Jere Giant Can Opener Sculpture. Crafted in the 1970s as part of a rare coll...

Large abstract oil painting titled: "Connected Green Deal" Natural pigment on vintage Belgian linen canvas Textured green iguana abstract...

An acrylic painting on wood by Italian artist Alessandro Bonato, 1960s. This richly textured painting features hues of off-white, taupe, and soft aqua in an abstract geometric design...

Modern Abstract Painting on Canvas Mounted on Wood, Easel " El Inicio" Offered for sale is a modern acrylic on canvas painting mounted on wood and presented on a matching wood ease...

Heavily textured mixed-media on copper original painting by Italian artist Giovanni Vetere. Images have scratched outline in medium. Frame is a bit weak for the painting size. Image ...

Superb acrylic wall hanging by Van Teal. Artist Orlando Acosta captures the 70s & 80s with great subject and movement. 3D affect with raised hood.

Striking original artwork features an abstract study of colors and shapes within a structured square space. Sequences of colors in various shades of grey, green, and blue are juxtap...

A handsome and sophisticated mixed media on canvas by American artist John Rigsby. Found in a original state of preservation. His works are few and far between. The following biography was submitted by John David Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. The author is Lisa Rigsby Peterson, daughter of the artist, and owner of the copyright of the biography. John David Rigsby was born on October 10, 1934, the seventh child of an Alabama Depression-era sharecropper's son. He and his family moved frequently, from one one-room structure to another, often with no running water, no plumbing, no heat but the stove. His father was killed in a car accident when Rigsby was just 9 years old. Life for the remaining eight family members proved tumultuous and difficult -- food wasn't plentiful, nor money. The family moved from place to place, following work -- Rigsby attended 30 different schools before graduating from high school. Despite living in poverty, Rigsby demonstrated academic and artistic aptitude at a young age. Two oil paintings on covers ripped off of old books that he painted when he was eight years old show the promise of an imaginative and gifted eye. Rigsby was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953. As he later wrote, "When basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was over, I was told to go out and find a job. Jasper Johns was painting visual aids for the 28th Regimental Headquarters. He suggested the Band Training Unit." Rigsby played the clarinet in that unit, and after 2 years of service, he enrolled at the University of Alabama on the G.I. Bill to study art. After just two years, he left school and followed his mentor (and one of the greatest and longest-lasting influences on his art), Japanese artist and U of A art instructor Tatsu Heima, to New York City. Heima introduced him to Isamu Noguchi and suggested that Rigsby work as Noguchi's assistant. Instead, Rigsby chose a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, since "the notion of seeing all of that art appealed more to me than the boring task of studio assistant." The opportunity was a rich one for Rigsby. He had a chance to study the masters, and cited Rembrandt with his simplicity and elegance as another of the most important influences on his work. In the years between 1957 and 1963, when Rigsby eventually earned his BFA in sculpture, the artist traveled back and forth between New York and Tuscaloosa, alternating study with forays into the fertile New York art scene. Rigsby exhibited some of his early sculpture work in 1958 at a small New York gallery, which was also exhibiting the work of Willem and Elaine de Kooning and Theodore Stamos. Shortly thereafter, searching for an educational venue closer to New York City, Rigsby visited New Haven, Connecticut, and spent an afternoon speaking with Josef Albers at Yale. Albers agreed to accept Rigsby into the Yale program on the condition that he take freshman drawing all over again. A brilliant opportunity, but, in Rigsby's words, "When it was time to register, I was hitchhiking back to Alabama, looking for food and shelter." Rigsby had his first one-man show at the University of Alabama in 1959. A visiting critic from New York, J.F. Goosen, reviewed the show and wrote "here is a talent which produces art because that is the thing for a gifted person to do. In his effortless ease of conception and execution, he has already achieved a goal that eludes many artists for a lifetime." Finally, in 1963, Rigsby received his degree in sculpture, dissolved a short-lived marriage, visited his family, packed up his car and headed permanently for New York. That year, his work was included in a group show at the Delgado Museum in New Orleans - which led to a one-man exhibit at the Delgado in 1964. During 1964, Rigsby took drawing classes at Columbia University, and worked at the General Post Office at night. He met his future wife, Linda Palmieri, and married. In 1965, his daughter Lisa was born, followed in 1966 by the birth of his son, John David Jr. In 1966, Rigsby had a successful one-man show at the Pietrantonio Gallery in New York. Shortly thereafter, he and the family moved to Tunis, Tunisia at the suggestion of a colleague, who urged him to "come paint by the light of Klee." Rigsby worked for the United States Information Agency as a teacher, and he spent the next year and a half painting over ninety paintings inspired by the smells, light, and Phoenician and Roman art surrounding him. He also executed a number of character and landscape drawings, capturing the Tunisian way of life. During his time in Tunisia, Rigsby's work was shown there in two major exhibits. Upon the family's return to the U.S. in 1968, Rigsby once again exhibited at the Pietrantonio Gallery. Later that year, Rigsby enrolled in Southern Connecticut State College's Urban Studies program, earning a master's degree in 1970. During his time at SCSU, Rigsby worked as the city of Bridgeport's Curator of Exhibits, driving a mobile art gallery from schools to neighborhood fairs and housing projects. After completing his degree, Rigsby had an exhibit at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia. This exhibit caught the attention of a member of the search committee looking to hire an artist for a newly-developed program in neighboring South Carolina. In 1970, Rigsby was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence in the state of South Carolina for the National Endowment for the Arts Artists in Schools program. His work with the newly-integrated students at Beaufort (SC) High School over the term of his residency precluded substantial work on his own art. He did, however, set up a studio in downtown Beaufort, and was able to create a modest number of paintings, which were included in exhibits at the Columbia Museum in South Carolina in 1971 and Yale University in 1973. At the end of his residency in 1974, Rigsby was named the National Visual Arts Coordinator of the Artists in Schools program for the NEA, a post he held for two years. In this position, Rigsby traveled the country, reviewing grant applications, meeting with state leaders in government, education and the arts to promote program concepts and explore local opportunities. The message he repeated over and over again echoed that of one of the other major influences on Rigsby as an artist - Ruth Asawa Lanier, whose words taught him that all of the work that the artist does is the artist's work, not simply the paintings he creates. In his capacity as National Coordinator, as well as many times in the future, Rigsby stressed that artists function in the same way as any other person in society, and deserved the same respect and place for their work as did all other professions. After two years traveling the country, Rigsby was ready for a change, saying "for the first time in my adult life, there was not a body of paintings to show for the years put into my work." In 1976, a summer retreat to the mountain community of Central City, Colorado, led to a permanent relocation. Eventually settling in the small town of Evergreen, Rigsby followed his own advice about artists becoming actively involved in their communities, and he established the Evergreen Visual Arts Center. The Center provided working space for artists, classes for adults and children, and, most importantly, a place for Rigsby to create his own work. Buoyed by the opportunity to concentrate once again on his art, and inspired by his new surroundings, Rigsby entered an extremely prolific period in his career. In 1977, he organized a traveling exhibition of his paintings, which showed at the Kimball Arts Center in Utah, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Arvada Center in Colorado. 1978 brought more exhibits, notably in Aspen and Denver, as Rigsby's work continued. He took an extended trip to visit his mentor, Tatsu Heima, in Japan, where he climbed Mt. Fuji, followed by travels to Tehran, Delhi, and several European countries. He chronicled his impressions from his travels in a small collection of paintings upon his return to the U.S. - the beginning of a practice which would continue through the rest of his life. In 1979, Rigsby's marriage failed, and at the same time he lost the lease to his Evergreen studio to redevelopment plans. In response to the personal chaos around him, Rigsby began a series of what he called "hard-nosed process paintings," the watercolor paintings of dots which marked his work from this period. The paintings gained him an NEA Individual Artist grant in 1980, as well as a Yaddo fellowship in 1981. The polka dot paintings were followed by a series of cupcake-like images, again examining space and color. During the early 1980s, Rigsby lived in a suite of old dentists' offices in a rundown part of Denver, with a studio in an area that reminded him of the Bowery in New York. In 1984, Rigsby founded the Progreso Gallery in the building where he lived, using the space both to show his own work and also to mount shows of the work of many Colorado artists. The gallery also served as a focal point for Denver's local arts community, hosting weekly discussion groups and classes. In 1984, Rigsby traveled to the Baja Peninsula and then in 1985 to Yugoslavia. After each sojourn, Rigsby returned to create vibrant and explosive paintings based on his experiences, showing them at his Progreso gallery and another alternative gallery in Denver, the Edge Gallery. The economic recession of the mid-eighties hit the art market and Rigsby hard, however, and although he continued to create new works of art, major exhibitions were difficult to come by. In 1987, Rigsby decided to leave Denver and spent six months in Barcelona, Spain. It was an electrifying trip for him. Rigsby wrote of that time: "The streets alone are a visual feast, and the additions of museums from Saarinen, Picasso and Miro to 12th century icons produced artistic indigestion. My paintings are always about the way things look and feel. Barcelona was a time machine extending those sensory and emotional concerns back to the Middle Ages. I felt the need to reduce my work to essential elements of color, scale, drawing and format. The [resulting] color studies speak eloquently for themselves, and in doing so, redefine all of the work I've done in the past 35 years of painting." Rigsby completed over a hundred paintings while in Barcelona - color studies, street portraits of the characters he encountered on a daily basis, and a number of dark landscape paintings. He found time to run with the bulls in Pamplona, and began writing stories about his adventures that were later published. Upon his return to Denver in 1988, Rigsby continued to explore the alter egos of the color studies - he concentrated on a series of dark paintings, all prominently featuring back. He commented about these black paintings that he " decided it was time to explore the perception of the eye and physical space as defined by low -light conditions…I find these paintings elegant, joyous and light-filled, with no feeling of heaviness at all." In mid-1988, Rigsby moved permanently to Houston, Texas, where he would spend the last five years of his life. Once in Houston, Rigsby made a discovery that would serve as the inspiration and material for some of the last works of his career. In 1989, he discovered a salvage yard filled with scrap rubber, and he began working on black rubber sculptures, as well as paintings with rubber elements incorporated. He made strong connections in the Houston alternative arts scene, and became a regular contributor and art critic for a local weekly newspaper, The Public News. From 1989 through 1992, he exhibited his sculptures and paintings at Houston's Brent Gallery, Fountainhead Gallery, and Blaffer Gallery. He also produced an installation of his rubber sculptures on the roof of the Diverse Works Gallery in Houston. 1992 also marked Rigsby's return to Denver when he exhibited his sculptures at the Payton-Rule Gallery in Denver, leading to an Absolut Rigsby commission by Carillon Importers. The 1990s were a tremendous struggle for Rigsby, with financial crises compounded by physical trauma (he accidentally sawed off the top joint of the index finger of his left hand while working in his studio). Although his work was being shown, it wasn't selling, and the tremendous financial pressure he felt weighed heavily upon him. He spent an increasing proportion of his time going to flea markets and garage sales, rehabilitating and repairing the things he bought there, and then re-selling them simply to raise enough money to keep a roof over his head. He had little time to paint or sculpt, the things in life that had always, no matter what the circumstances, brought him joy. Rigsby's final works were a series of intricate paintings and drawings on used books that he purchased at the flea market. Most of these drawings, which he referred to as sculptural form drawings, were executed on page after page of science texts, music books, and a Korean bible and fill hundreds of pages. Additionally, Rigsby created an exquisite book he titled 28 de los Angeles, in which his twenty-eight simple and elegant drawings of angels resonated with the influence of Rembrandt he had so admired in his early days. In a sense, Rigsby's final works, art created on used books which were the only materials he could afford, brought his work and life full circle from his childhood days. Rigsby's life, though begun and ended in adversity, was nonetheless illuminated and enriched by the irresistible impulse he had to create art and beauty. John David Rigsby was killed in a one-car accident in Colorado in August, 1993. Biography from the Archives of askART Following is a review by Michael Paglia of the artist's July 2004 retrospective at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. It was submitted by John Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. There's a magnificent retrospective at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art devoted to the work of the late John David Rigsby, who was a major powerhouse in Colorado's art scene. "Dots, Blobs and Angels" surveys more than forty years' worth of the remarkable artist's paintings and sculptures. The year 1993 was strange, and by that I mean terrible. Many of the city's galleries closed because of bad economic times, and then the artists started dying. In a matter of a few months, Denver lost three significant artists: Rigsby, experimental photographer Wes Kennedy...

Sotheby's, London: Neo-Romantic & Surrealistic Art from the Collection of Pierre Le-Tan. October 25, 1995. 210 lots, Including artwork by: Beaton, Ber...

Isabel Brinck Abstract Painting on Canvas Titled "I don't recall" Offered for sale is an abstract acrylic painting on canvas painting by Chilean-American artist Isabel Brinck signe...

Josef Albers, Formulations - Articulations I & II Edition 974/ 1000 1972 screen-print on paper Embossed with Josef Albers initials, portfolio and folder number. This work is publi...

The works of Ethan Murrow are beloved by many for his detailed realist/surrealist techniques and their sense of humor. Artist : Ethan Murrow, b. 1975 Titl...

ClockClock 24 is both a kinetic sculpture and a functioning wall clock. It has been a signature piece of Humans since 1982 since it was first launched in 2016. The individual clock h...

Accent size Persian kilim from the late 20th century with a lion on a striped field Measures: 4'9'' x 7'7''. This was originally belonging to a private Persian collector who re...

A beautiful work done by Philadelphia Artist Jane Potash. All original work with signature on front and original frame. Not dated, probably created late 19...

From the studio of Christiane Lemieux and the gouache, pastel and charcoal landscape series, La Fougère is a warm abstract. Created as a multipurpose piece, it can be mounted vertica...

A stunning abstract painting by Australian Aboriginal artist Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa (also known as Mrs. Bennett; 1935-2013). Entitled "Tjukurla Country", this work was acrylic on Be...

Jardin de Jaipur is an exquisite fine art print that is a mesmerizing tribute to the vintage beauty of the 1940's era. Drawing inspiration from a treasure trove of newly discovered, ...

This wall hanging is a one of a kind heirloom piece. Taking inspiration from brutalism, mid-century abstraction, and Joseph Albers studies on the interaction of color. The entire pr...

A large and important work by Turkish artist Férit Iscan depicting his artist’s supplies laid out on his work table. Signed lower right, title on verso...

Minimalist cast paper relief presented in a vintage 1960s dimensional wood frame. The work has a quietly sculptural presence; its surface softly modulated to capture light and shadow...

If Gotham City and a Pierre Cardin fever dream had a love child, it would be this stunning 1970s mixed media artwork. At a striking 48.5 x 48.5 inches, this piece is big, bold, and b...

Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978) "Window Washer," Limited Edition Lithograph, Signed and Numbered, Edition 88/200 A quintessential example of Norman Rockwell’s masterful blend ...

Isabel Brinck Original Abstract Painting on Canvas Titled "Kismet" Original acrylic on canvas painting by Chilean-American artist Isabel Brinck title "Kismet" signed lower right and...

Features "The face" one-of-its-kind mirror set exploring unique shapes and fun finishes inspired by free-flowing movements of fluid. Mirror created by free-pouring urethane foam dire...

In 1969 John Lennon created a portfolio of drawings which he entitled "Bag One". These drawings depicted John & Yoko Ono's wedding and subsequent honeymoon and he presented them to ...

Colorful still life painting by artist Jane Kewin, Ottawa, Canada. Yellow, blue, red, pink. Turquoise colors. Created in 1991. Giltwood frame.

Great original drawing by Robert Loughlin on cardboard. Image of 'the Brute' with cigarette facing to the right. Signed RL on the back. Water stain on bottom right. Over 20 original ...

Introducing "Étretat," our latest limited edition fine art print by Christiane Lemieux. This gorgeous piece captures the timeless beauty of Normandy's iconic coastline, drawing inspi...

Introducing "CHAMP DE COULEUR" - Our newest limited-release art print series. This first work in the collection is an interplay of colors and geometry. "Champ De Couleur" skillfully ...

MOTEL SUITCASE SERIES 6034 by JORGE FICK Born in 1932 and passing in 2004 in the vibrant artistic community of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this artist was a prominent figure in the world of high color abstraction. His unique approach to abstract expressionism was deeply influenced by the teachings and mentorship of renowned artists Franz Kline, Jack Tworkov, Phillip Guston, and Joseph Fiore...

"Les Glaçons" is a gorgeus scene of icebergs under the veil of night, masterfully captured in this limited edition fine art print that speaks volumes about the serenity and majesty o...

A beautiful limited edition abstract Expressionism offset lithograph of the Russian painter and art theorist Wassily Kandinsky's "Liason". This work has been printed on Arches paper ...