Bay Area Figurative

A style of art or painting that started in the 1940's in the San Francisco bay area and lasted until the mid 1960's. It was really a reaction to the Abstract Expressionism that was starting in New York. San Francisco was the second most influential art center behind New York after the war. A few of the painters who were familiar with the work going on in New York were teaching in the bay area and introduced the Abstract Expressionist style. The artists of the bay area altered this approach by going back to nature and included a more figurative imagery. The images were still very abstract and painted with a lot of expressionist style, but with a rejection of total abstraction. Some of the painters known for this style are Richard Dieberkorn and David Park.