Richard Diebenkorn

Richard Diebenkorn, born in Portland, Oregon in 1922, became a key figure in the Bay Area figurative and abstract art movements. He was encouraged by his grandmother’s support of his early artistic talent, and later studied oil painting at Stanford University and the California School of Fine Arts. Influenced by artists such as David Park, Charles Russell, and Edward Hopper, Diebenkorn explored both abstraction and figurative painting. His work ranged from early figurative paintings to his well-known “Ocean Park” series, inspired by his time in Santa Monica. Diebenkorn’s style is characterized by rich color planes, pentimenti, and “crudities,” elements he intentionally left in his work to show human frailty. A professor at UCLA from 1966 to 1973, Diebenkorn’s influence extended beyond the canvas. He received the National Medal of Art in 1991, and his legacy remains solidified in major collections and retrospectives. Diebenkorn passed away in 1993, leaving a lasting impact on modern art.