Richard Diebenkorn

Date of Birth: April 22, 1922

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: March 30, 1993

Biography

Richard Diebenkorn was an influential American painter born on April 22, 1922, in Portland, Oregon. He is widely recognized for his contributions to both Abstract Expressionism and the Bay Area Figurative Movement. Diebenkorn’s career spanned over five decades, during which he developed a unique style characterized by its expressive use of color and complex spatial compositions. His most famous series, “Ocean Park,” consists of over 140 paintings that reflect his deep engagement with the landscape and light of Southern California. Diebenkorn began his formal art education at Stanford University, where he was influenced by modern European artists. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, he continued his studies at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute), where he was mentored by artists such as David Park and Mark Rothko. Throughout his career, Diebenkorn received numerous accolades, including membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Academy of Design. He exhibited extensively in the United States and abroad, and his works are held in major collections worldwide.

5 Interesting Facts about Richard Diebenkorn

1. Richard Diebenkorn was a member of the Bay Area Figurative Movement, which sought to reintroduce figurative art into the abstract-dominated art world of the mid-20th century.

2. His “Ocean Park” series, inspired by the Ocean Park neighborhood in Santa Monica, California, is considered one of the most significant achievements in American abstract painting.

3. Diebenkorn taught at several prestigious institutions, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the San Francisco Art Institute.

4. He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the “Genius Grant,” in 1981.

5. Diebenkorn’s work has been the subject of numerous retrospectives, including a major exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Richard Diebenkorn

1. “One wants to see the artifice of the painting as well as the subject.”

2. “It is not a matter of painting life. It’s a matter of giving life to a painting.”

3. “I want a painting to be difficult to do. The more obstacles, obstructions, problems — if they don’t overwhelm — the better.”

4. “I can never accomplish what I want — only what I would have wanted had I thought of it beforehand.”

5. “What I do is face the blank canvas and put a few arbitrary marks on it that start me on some sort of dialogue.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Richard Diebenkorn’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $5 million, largely accrued from the sales of his paintings and his teaching career.