Milton Avery (1885 – 1965) was an American modern painter celebrated for his innovative use of color and simplified forms. Born in Altmar, New York, Avery’s work forms a crucial link between earlier American art movements and Abstract Expressionism.
Avery’s painting style is characterized by his bold use of color, reduction of forms to their essentials, and avoidance of intricate detail. His landscapes, still lifes, and portraits are imbued with a sense of calm and serenity, with compositions that emphasize flat areas of color and balanced shapes. Works like “Sea Grasses and Blue Sea” exemplify his masterful and distinctive approach to color relationships.
Inspiration for his paintings came from his immediate surroundings, family, and everyday scenes. Despite their apparent simplicity, Avery’s works often contain subtle complexities and emotional resonance.
Artists with similar styles include Adolph Gottlieb and Mark Rothko, who also pursued abstraction and were deeply concerned with color and form. Like Avery, they sought to convey emotion through simplified visual elements.
Milton Avery’s contributions to American art are significant, and his influence on subsequent generations of abstract artists is profound. His works are celebrated for their originality, subtle beauty, and ability to evoke emotion through abstraction and color harmony. Avery’s unique vision continues to resonate with viewers and remains an enduring aspect of 20th-century American art.
Useful Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Avery
https://www.wikiart.org/en/milton-avery
