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Palm Desert Gallery Walkthrough – Post-War and Contemporary Art

May 2021

News

For our 25th anniversary, we are excited to continue presenting rare blue-chip artworks by esteemed artists like Elaine de Kooning, Adolph Gottlieb, Agnes Martin, and Joan Miro. Over the past 25 years, Heather James Fine Art has expanded into a global network with galleries and consultancies across the US and Europe. In 2020 alone, Heather James Fine Art placed 382 artworks into new collections around the world, and we are proud to continue advising others in growing their collections.

SAMPLING OF POST WAR AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS

The frame of reference for Irish American Sean Scully’s signature blocks and stripes is vast. From Malevich’s central premise that geometry can provide the means for universal understanding to Rothko’s impassioned approach to color and rendering of the dramatic sublime, Scully learned how to condense the splendor of the natural world into simple modes of color, light, and composition. Born in Dublin in 1945 and London-raised, Scully was well-schooled in figurative drawing when he decided to catch the spirit of his lodestar, Henri Matisse, by visiting Morocco in 1969. He was captivated by the dazzling tessellated mosaics and richly dyed fabrics and began to paint grids and stipes of color. Subsequent adventures provided further inspiration as the play of intense light on the reflective surfaces of Mayan ruins and the ancient slabs of stone at Stonehenge brought the sensation of light, space, and geometric movement to Scully’s paintings. The ability to trace the impact of Scully’s travels throughout his paintings reaffirms the value of abstract art as a touchstone for real-life experience. <br> <br> <br>Painted in rich, deep hues and layered, nuanced surfaces, Grey Red is both poetic and full of muscular formalism. Scully appropriately refers to these elemental forms as ‘bricks,’ suggesting the formal calculations of an architect. As he explained, “these relationships that I see in the street doorways, in windows between buildings, and in the traces of structures that were once full of life, I take for my work. I use these colors and forms and put them together in a way that perhaps reminds you of something, though you’re not sure of that” (David Carrier, Sean Scully, 2004, pg. 98). His approach is organic, less formulaic; intuitive painter’s choices are layering one color upon another so that contrasting hues and colors vibrate with subliminal energy. Diebenkorn comes to mind in his pursuit of radiant light. But here, the radiant bands of terracotta red, gray, taupe, and black of Grey Red resonate with deep, smoldering energy and evoke far more affecting passion than you would think it could impart. As his good friend, Bono wrote, “Sean approaches the canvas like a kickboxer, a plasterer, a builder. The quality of painting screams of a life being lived.”

oil on aluminum

TOM WESSELMANN - 1962 Plus 35 Nude Sketch II - alkyd oil on canvas - 43 x 58 5/8 in.

1962 Plus 35 Nude Sketch II

43 x 58 5/8 in.

alkyd oil on canvas

MANOLO VALDES - Portrait of a Woman - oil and burlap on canvas - 60 x 60 in.

Portrait of a Woman

oil and burlap on canvas

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Kenneth Noland’s <em>Gray Reflection</em> (1978) comes from the late 1970s, when the artist was deeply engaged with shaped canvases and the refinement of surface and form. The cool slate ground is animated by faint tonal shifts and angled color bands that cut across the polygonal field, creating both balance and quiet momentum.<br> <br></font></div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>This period was far less prolific than his celebrated 1960s circle paintings, making works such as <em>Gray Reflection </em>comparatively rare. While not part of a named series, it resonates with other late-1970s explorations like <em>Burnt Beige </em>at the Cranbrook Art Museum.<br> <br></font></div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Noland, a central figure of post-painterly abstraction alongside Morris Louis and Helen Frankenthaler, is represented in major museum collections including MoMA, Tate, and the National Gallery of Art.</font></div>

Gray Reflection

66 1/4 x 88 1/2 in.

acrylic on canvas

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Known for his ability to blend traditional Japanese techniques with modern aesthetics, Hiroshi Senju's sublime depictions of bands of cascading veils of paint evoke sensations of tranquility and awe. Senju began exploring waterfall imagery in the early 1990s, pouring translucent pigment onto mulberry paper mounted on board, creating cascading movement. In this work, "<em>Waterfall," </em>he masterfully bonds ribbons of cascading water into two curtain-like ethereal panels. Senju's interest in synesthesia is undeniable. "<em>Waterfall</em>" conjures sound, smell, and feel sensations as much as the rushing water's appearance. In the present work, he placed these dynamic elements in a context that grounds the viewer's sense of place within the natural world. A wedge of blue in the upper left corner contrasts the otherwise monochromatic palette, providing a sky association bounded by a hillside or cliff (for which Senju is known). Additionally, as the cascading water descends, it reaches a destination expanse at the bottom of the picture plane, where the force of the water disperses into a fine mist at the point of contact, serving as a visual anchor. </font></div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black> </font></div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Senju's finesse is evident throughout. He uses mulberry paper, a traditional Japanese material known for its delicate texture and strength. The paper's natural fibers absorb pigments in ways that create subtle gradients and fluidity, enhancing the visual effect of the cascading water. He employs traditional Nihonga techniques, such as layering washes to build depth and movement and utilizing varied brush strokes to achieve different effects. Additionally, he incorporates modern methods like the airbrush to apply fine mists of pigment, creating smooth and seamless gradients that mimic the delicate spray and vapor associated with cascading water.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Hiroshi Senju pays homage to the traditional art forms of his heritage while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. His ability to convey the sublime through simplicity and abstraction makes this artwork a testament to his unique vision and artistic mastery. It stands as a serene reminder of nature's timeless beauty, captured through the ability of a master painter and artist. </font></div>

natural pigments and platinum on Japanese mulberry paper mounted on board

HERB ALPERT - Arrowhead - bronze - 201 x 48 x 48 in.

201 x 48 x 48 in.

<div>Andrew Wyeth’s "Quart and a Half" (1961) belongs to a deeply personal sequence of works inspired by a single day he and his wife, Betsy, spent picking blueberries in a field as a storm gathered. That afternoon became the genesis for one of Wyeth’s most iconic tempera paintings, "Distant Thunder" (1961), which depicts Betsy reclining in the grass with their dog, suffused with a charged stillness before the storm. A preparatory watercolor, "Blueberries, Study for Distant Thunder" (1961, Farnsworth Art Museum), further traces the theme. "Quart and a Half" marks the haunting aftermath, shifting focus from figure to still life: a blueberry carton and tin cup sit abandoned in the grass, their utilitarian presence transformed into emblems of memory and absence. </div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div>The composition is stripped to essentials—a high horizon line, a darkened field, and the luminous carton and cup catching the eye. The disturbed grass, delicately rendered in intricate strokes, becomes a subtle index of Betsy’s earlier presence, now vanished. That empty imprint became the emotional core of the painting, an emblem of transience. As an early still life, the work reveals Wyeth’s ability to invest the simplest objects with profound emotional resonance, extending the still-life tradition, long associated with mortality and the ephemeral nature of life, into a meditation on the quiet echoes of lived experience. Executed in watercolor, the painting also highlights Wyeth’s balance of spontaneity and restraint, the flickering grasses animated with immediacy yet anchored by a deliberate compositional rigor. </div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div>"Quart and a Half" also holds distinguished exhibition history. It was featured in the traveling retrospective "Andrew Wyeth: Temperas, Watercolors, Dry Brush, Drawings 1938 into 1966", shown at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art (1966–67). Earlier, the work was chosen as the cover image for the catalogue of the 1963 University of Arizona Art Gallery exhibition, underscoring its importance within Wyeth’s oeuvre. Together with "Distant Thunder" and its study, this watercolor transforms a shared picnic into an enduring meditation on memory, impermanence, and the poetry of everyday life. </div>

Quart and a Half

21 x 29 1/4 in.

watercolor on paper

This painting has remained in the same private collection since its creation. Along with its companion work, "Untitled" (1991) was on display in the lobby of Chicago's Heller International Building at 500 West Monroe Street from the building's opening in 1992 until its renovation in 2015. <br> <br>The November 2018 sale of Schnabel's "Large Rose Painting, (Near Van Gogh's Grave)" for $1.2 million at auction demonstrates a strong demand for the artist's work. This major sale was only the second-highest price paid for a Schnabel at auction: the record was set in November of 2017 when "Ethnic Type #14" sold for $1.4 million. <br> <br>A recent museum exhibition, "Julian Schnabel: Symbols of Actual Life" at the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, in 2018, featured several of Schnabel's large-scale paintings.

JULIAN SCHNABEL

oil, resin, gesso, fabric and leather on seamed dropcloth

Tom Wesselmann was a leader of the Pop Art movement. He is best remembered for large-scale works, including his Great American Nude series, in which Wesselmann combined sensual imagery with everyday objects depicted in bold and vibrant colors. As he developed in his practice, Wesselmann grew beyond the traditional canvas format and began creating shaped canvases and aluminum cut-outs that often functioned as sculptural drawings. Continuing his interest in playing with scale, Wesselmann began focusing more closely on the body parts that make up his nudes. He created his Mouth series and his Bedroom series in which particular elements, rather than the entire sitter, become the focus. <br> <br>Bedroom Breast (2004) combines these techniques, using vivid hues painted on cut-out aluminum. The work was a special commission for a private collector's residence, and the idea of a bedroom breast piece in oil on 3-D cut-out aluminum was one Wesselmann had been working with for many years prior to this work's creation. The current owner of the piece believed in Wesselmann's vision and loved the idea of bringing the subject to his home. <br> <br>It's one of, if not the last, piece Wesselmann completed before he passed away. The present work is the only piece of its kind - there has never been an oil on aluminum in 3D at this scale or of this iconography.

80 x 76 x 10 in.

oil on cut-out aluminum

<div><font face=Lato size=3>Widely recognized as one of the most consequential artists of our time, Gerhard Richters career now rivals that of Picasso's in terms of productivity and genius. The multi-faceted subject matter, ranging from slightly out-of-focus photographic oil paintings to Kelly-esque grid paintings to his "squeegee" works, Richter never settles for repeating the same thought- but is constantly evolving his vision. Richter has been honored by significant retrospective exhibitions, including the pivotal 2002 show, "Gerhard Richter: Forty Years of Painting," at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. "Abstraktes Bild 758-2" (1992) comes from a purely abstract period in Richter's work- where the message is conveyed using a truly physical painting style, where applied paint layers are distorted with a wooden "Squeegee" tool. Essentially, Richter is sculpting the layers of paint, revealing the underlayers and their unique color combinations; there is a degree of "art by chance". If the painting does not work, Richter will move on- a method pioneered by Jackson Pollock decades earlier. Richter is included in prominent museums and collections worldwide, including the Tate, London, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among many others.</font></div>

GERHARD RICHTER

Abstraktes Bild 758-2

24 1/2 x 32 1/4 in.

Tom Wesselmann will undoubtedly be remembered for associating his erotic themes with the colors of the American flag. But Wesselmann had considerable gifts as a draftsman, and the line was his principal preoccupation, first as a cartoonist and later as an ardent admirer of Matisse. That he also pioneered a method of turning drawings into laser-cut steel wall reliefs proved a revelation. He began to focus ever more on drawing for the sake of drawing, enchanted that the new medium could be lifted and held: “It really is like being able to pick up a delicate line drawing from the paper.” <br> <br>The Steel Drawings caused both excitement and confusion in the art world. After acquiring one of the ground-breaking works in 1985, the Whitney Museum of American Art wrote Wesselmann wondering if it should be cataloged as a drawing or a sculpture. The work had caused such a stir that when Eric Fischl visited Wesselmann at his studio and saw steel-cut works for the first time, he remembered feeling jealous. He wanted to try it but dared not. It was clear: ‘Tom owned the technique completely.’ <br> <br>Wesselmann owed much of that technique to his year-long collaboration with metalwork fabricator Alfred Lippincott. Together, in 1984 they honed a method for cutting the steel with a laser that provided the precision he needed to show the spontaneity of his sketches. Wesselmann called it ‘the best year of my life’, elated at the results that he never fully achieved with aluminum that required each shape be hand-cut. “I anticipated how exciting it would be for me to get a drawing back in steel. I could hold it in my hands. I could pick it up by the lines…it was so exciting…a kind of near ecstasy, anyway, but there’s really been something about the new work that grabbed me.” <br> <br>Bedroom Brunette with Irises is a Steel Drawing masterwork that despite its uber-generous scale, utilizes tight cropping to provide an unimposing intimacy while maintaining a free and spontaneous quality. The figure’s outstretched arms and limbs and body intertwine with the petals and the interior elements providing a flowing investigative foray of black lines and white ‘drop out’ shapes provided by the wall. It recalls Matisse and any number of his reclining odalisque paintings. Wesselmann often tested monochromatic values to discover the extent to which color would transform his hybrid objects into newly developed Steel Drawing works and, in this case, continued with a color steel-cut version of the composition Bedroom Blonde with Irises (1987) and later still, in 1993 with a large-scale drawing in charcoal and pastel on paper.

Bedroom Brunette with Irises

105 3/4 x 164 5/8 in.

oil on cut-out aluminum

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Hans Hofmann's <em>Baal</em> channels the charged energy of its evocative title, rooted in ancient Semitic tradition. The name refers to a lord or master but also carries associations with primal forces of nature, chaos, and creation. Hofmann's work reflects this duality, blending structured design with the untamed vitality of gestural abstraction to create a composition oscillating between entropy and order.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Painted at age 65, <em>Baal</em> also showcases Hofmann's willingness to revisit earlier disciplines while addressing the challenges of mid-century abstraction. Its vibrant palette and bold use of complementary colors, particularly the juxtaposition of red and green, heightens the painting's dynamism. His muscular brushwork also reflects his lifelong experimentation with the tension between form and freedom; undulating lines and biomorphic forms evoke the surrealist influence of Miró and the spiritual resonance of Kandinsky's gestural abstractions. Like these predecessors, Hofmann sought to translate "inner necessity" into visual expression, guided by his fertile imagination. Yet the planal elements and curvilinear shapes of <em>Baal</em> also reflect the influence of improvisational painting, a hallmark of Abstract Expressionism as practiced by contemporaries like Arshile Gorky, among others. It is a composition that teems with movement and energy, suggesting a cosmos in flux—chaotic yet deliberate.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Exhibited the same year at Betty Parsons Gallery in New York, <em>Baal</em> signals Hofmann's evolution as a master and innovator. With its vivid dynamism and symbolic title, the painting epitomizes Hofmann's ability to infuse abstraction with elemental power, crafting a deeply personal exploration of form and color.</font></div>

59 3/8 x 47 1/4 in.

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Hans Hofmann's "<em>Astral Image #1"</em> of 1947 captures a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution as he wrestled with the competing forces of linearity and painterly abstraction. Exhibited in the same year at Betty Parsons Gallery in New York—Hofmann's first show with Parsons — the painting represents a phase of intense experimentation in which Cubist-inspired linear elements took center stage. Lines arc and stretch across the canvas, creating a dynamic framework that opens into areas filled with flatly applied alizarin crimson. These contrasting forces give the work a sense of tension and vitality.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>During this period, Hofmann's reliance on linearity provided a departure from the more fluid, painterly dynamism of his earlier works. From 1944 to 1951, this linear impulse permeated his practice, signaling a prolonged exploration of modes of expression in which he grappled with reconciling abstraction and structure. While some viewed this phase as a retreat from the energetic breakthroughs that defined American art's rise to global prominence, others recognized the distinctiveness of these paintings. <em>Astral Image #1</em> challenged the framework of Hofmann's singular vision, blending Cubist discipline with the vibrant, unruly energy that remained a hallmark of his oeuvre.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>The work's flat planes of bright alizarin crimson, contrasted with the angular momentum of the lines, evoke a cosmos of restless energy, hinting at the celestial themes suggested by its title. This painting reflects Hofmann's deliberate explorations during the late 1940s that underscore his unique ability to create works that resist easy categorization, standing apart as deeply personal explorations of form and color.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div>

Astral Image No. 1

<div><font face=Lato size=3 color=black>Any analysis of Hans Hofmann’s oeuvre is incomplete without considering his small landscapes, which occupied him between 1940 and 1944. These works capture a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution, transitioning from Matisse-inspired figurative still lifes, portraits, and interiors to the pure abstraction that would later define his career. “Landscape #108” exemplifies this shift. Its compressed composition and severe clustering of intense colors prefigure the artist’s mature works, channeling the same ferocious dynamism that is the hallmark of our appreciation for the artist. The Fauvist palette and electric strokes vibrate with energy, their interplay of light and dark creating a rhythmic tension that feels almost musical. While modest in scale, the painting’s boldness and dynamism hint at the daring risks Hofmann would later embrace in his larger abstractions. Rooted in Fauvism and resonant with Kandinsky’s early work, “Landscape #108” remains a robust testament to Hofmann’s evolving visual language during this transformative period.</font></div>

Landscape No. 108

23 1/4 x 29 1/4 in.

21 3/8 x 24 1/2 in.

A major figure in both the Abstract Expressionist and American Figurative Expressionist movements of the 1940s and 1950s, Elaine de Kooning's prolific output defied singular categorization. Her versatile styles explored the spectrum of realism to abstraction, resulting in a career characterized by intense expression and artistic boundary-pushing. A striking example of de Kooning's explosive creativity is Untitled (Totem Pole), an extremely rare sculptural painting by the artist that showcases her command of color. <br> <br>She created this piece around 1960, the same period as her well-known bullfight paintings. She left New York in 1957 to begin teaching at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and from there would visit Ciudad Juárez, where she observed the bullfights that inspired her work. An avid traveler, de Kooning drew inspiration from various sources, resulting in a diverse and experimental body of work.

ELAINE DE KOONING

Untitled (Totem Pole)

97 x 12 3/8 x 12 3/8 in.

oil on canvas stretched over cardboard cylinders

DAVID SMITH - Untitled - oil on canvas - 12 x 16 in.

DAVID SMITH - Untitled - oil on canvas - 12 x 15 3/4 in.

12 x 15 3/4 in.

<div><font face=Calibri size=3 color=black>Standing at an impressive 103 inches, this elegantly spare “Sonambient” sculpture by Harry Bertoia allows us to marvel at one of the finest artisans of his generation. This piece, the tallest in the series currently available here at Heather James Fine Art, features a precise arrangement of 36 slender tines in a 6 x 6 grid. This arrangement's uniformity and symmetry are visually captivating and crucial for the sculpture's acoustic properties. The rods, austere and uncapped by finials, have an aged patina with copper undertones, suggesting Bertoia's use of copper or a similar alloy known for its resonant qualities and distinctive coloration. Given the outstanding length of these rods, the attachment method is particularly noteworthy. Bertoia meticulously inserted each rod into individual holes in the base plate using precision drilling and securing techniques such as welding that ensured the rods were firmly anchored and stable, maintaining the structural integrity essential for consistent acoustic performance.</font></div> <br> <br><div> </div> <br> <br><div><font face=Calibri size=3 color=black>Beyond his uncompromising nature, Bertoia's work draws significant inspiration from natural elements. This sculpture's tall, slender rods evoke images of reeds or tall grasses swaying gently in the wind. This dynamic interaction between the sculpture and its environment mirrors the movement of plants, creating an immersive, naturalistic experience. Yet when activated or moved by air currents, the rods of this monumental work initiate metallic undertones that confirm its materiality without betraying its profound connection to the natural world.</font></div> <br> <br><div><font face=Calibri size=3 color=black>Integrating technical precision and natural inspiration depends on exacting construction that ensures durability and acoustic consistency, while its kinetic and auditory nature imbues the piece with a sense of vitality. This fusion invites viewers to engage with the sculpture on multiple sensory levels, appreciating its robust craftsmanship and evocative, naturalistic qualities. Bertoia's ability to blend these elements results in a work that is both a technical marvel and a tribute to the beauty of the natural world.</font></div>

Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)

103 x 16 x 16 in.

Mel Ramos is best known for his paintings of superheroes and female nudes juxtaposed with pop culture imagery. Many of the subjects in his paintings emerge from iconic brands or cultural touchstones like Chiquita bananas, M&M bags, or Snickers. In these works, visual delight is combined with suggested edible and commercial indulgence. <br> <br>Leta and the Hill Myna diverges from some of Ramos’ other nudes. Here Ramos depicts his wife, whom he spoke of as his greatest muse. Like his works depicting superheroes, Leta and the Hill Myna is imbued with mythos and lore. Myna birds are native to South Asia where some are taught to speak, often to recite religious. Furthermore, playing on his wife’s name and the avian theme, Ramos is referencing the famous tale of Leda and the Swan in which Zeus embodies a bird to rape Leda. The story has been reinterpreted throughout history, including by great artists such as Paul Cezanne, Cy Twombly and Fernando Botero. With this depiction, Ramos places himself in that same art historical lineage.

Leta and the Hill Myna

RICHARD SERRA - Cape Breton Horizontal Reversal No. 16 - litho-crayon on two sheets of handmade paper - 19 3/4 x 55 7/8 in.

Cape Breton Horizontal Reversal No. 16

19 3/4 x 55 7/8 in.

litho-crayon on two sheets of handmade paper

After disappointing sales at Weyhe Gallery in 1928, Calder turned from sculpted wire portraits and figures to the more conventional medium of wood. On the advice of sculptor Chaim Gross, he purchased small blocks of wood from Monteath, a Brooklyn supplier of tropical woods. He spent much of that summer on a Peekskill, New York farm carving. In each case, the woodblock suggested how he might preserve its overall shape and character as he subsumed those attributes in a single form. There was a directness about working in wood that appealed to him. Carved from a single block of wood, Woman with Square Umbrella is not very different from the subjects of his wire sculptures except that he supplanted the ethereal nature of using wire with a more corporeal medium. <br>© 2023 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

ALEXANDER CALDER

Woman with Square Umbrella

Noteworthy Exhibitions

November 8, 2018 - February 28, 2019 New York, NY

DE KOONING X DE KOONING

November 8, 2018 – February 28, 2019 New York, NY

August 26, 2020 - February 28, 2021 Jackson Hole, WY

WONDERS OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART IN AMERICA AND EUROPE

August 26, 2020 – February 28, 2021 Jackson Hole, WY

March 16, 2020 - February 28, 2021 Palm Desert, CA

THE GLORIA LURIA COLLECTION

March 16, 2020 – February 28, 2021 Palm Desert, CA

March 25, 2020 - February 28, 2021 New York, NY

ALEXANDER CALDER: BOLD GOUACHES

March 25, 2020 – February 28, 2021 New York, NY

Selected Artists We’ve Placed with Collectors in 2020

Claude Monet

Alexander Calder

Edward Hopper

Helen Frankenthaler

Camille Pissarro

Tracey Emin

Fernand Leger

Pablo Picasso

David Hockney

Andrew Wyeth

Grace Hartigan

Salvador Dali

Anish Kapoor

George Condo

Jean Arp

Vincent van Gogh

Andy Warhol

Robert Motherwell

Marc Chagall

Deborah Butterfield

Pat Steir

Raoul Dufy

Georgia O’Keeffe

Ed Ruscha

Elaine de Kooning

Mark Bradford

Ansel Adams

Norman Rockwell

Ai Weiwei

Carlos Cruz-Diez

CLAUDE MONET

CLAUDE MONET

SALVADOR DALI

SALVADOR DALI

ALEXANDER CALDER

ALEXANDER CALDER

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