Westmont Magazine Celebrating Unseen California Art

Westmont Gallery Hosts Works by Richard Diebenkorn

One of the most acclaimed American artists of the 20th century, Richard Diebenkorn lived in California most of his life. The Golden State inspired two well-known series of his paintings: Ocean Park, based on an area of Venice Beach in Southern California, and his Berkeley works.

But Diebenkorn, who died in 1993, also painted on Santa Cruz Island in the Santa Barbara Channel. For the first time, these works and other artwork previously unseen went on display in Reynolds Gallery.

“Richard Diebenkorn: Unseen Santa Barbara Works” showcased the private collection of Carey Stanton, owner of Santa Cruz Island and a close friend of Diebenkorn for more than 40 years. Many of these works were painted on or inspired by Santa Cruz Island and represent a unique personal dialogue between the artist and the owner of the private island. The Santa Cruz Island Foundation and other private collectors generously loaned the pieces. Northern Trust co-sponsored the rare exhibit.

The variety in the show, which includes paintings, drawings and etchings, reflects the wide range of Diebenkorn’s work. He was equally adept at abstract expressionism, landscape and figurative work.

“A sense of place infuses these paintings and drawings,” says Helen Talkin, exhibition curator. “Yet Diebenkorn’s legacy is greater than his West Coast identity and lies perhaps in his versatility and willingness to change and grow; moving from figurative to abstract expressions and back again, demonstrating the truth of his statement, ‘The different forms painters use, such as landscape, still life or figure, bring out from a painter very different qualities.’”