Clyfford Still

Date of Birth: November 30, 1904

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: June 23, 1980

Biography

Clyfford Still was an American painter and one of the leading figures in the first generation of Abstract Expressionists, who emerged in the post-World War II era. He was born on November 30, 1904, in Grandin, North Dakota. Still is often credited with laying the groundwork for the Abstract Expressionist movement through his distinct, large-scale, color field paintings that depict dramatic contrasts between light and dark. He spent much of his early life in Spokane, Washington, and Alberta, Canada, before studying at Spokane University and Washington State University. Still’s career took off in the 1940s when he moved to New York City and joined the emerging Abstract Expressionist community. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Still avoided the commercial art world, often refusing to sell his works and preferring to exhibit them only under his strict control. His monumental canvases are known for their jagged, flame-like forms and immense emotional intensity. In the later years of his life, Still became increasingly reclusive, choosing to live in rural Maryland with his second wife, Patricia. He passed away on June 23, 1980. Still’s legacy is preserved by the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, Colorado, which houses the majority of his life’s work, thanks to a significant bequest from the artist’s estate.

5 Interesting Facts about Clyfford Still

1. Clyfford Still is considered one of the pioneers of the Abstract Expressionist movement.

2. He was averse to the commercial art world and often refused to sell his paintings.

3. The Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, Colorado, was opened in 2011 and houses over 3,000 pieces of his work.

4. He taught at the California School of Fine Arts, where he influenced a generation of artists, including Mark Rothko.

5. Still’s works are characterized by their large scale, bold colors, and jagged, flame-like forms.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Clyfford Still

1. “I never wanted color to be color, I never wanted texture to be texture, or images to become shapes. I wanted them all to fuse into a living spirit.”

2. “To be stopped by a frame’s edge, is intolerable.”

3. “Art is a matter of life and death, and I want to keep the challenge of it, to be meaningful, to be serious.”

4. “I paint only myself, not nature.”

5. “I do not intend to oversimplify—my subject is difficult enough—but I do intend to make my work as clear as possible.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Clyfford Still’s highest net worth is difficult to ascertain due to his limited commercial dealings, but his paintings have sold for tens of millions of dollars posthumously. Notably, one of his works sold for $61.7 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2011.