Elaine de Kooning Quotes

American painter (1918-1989)

Elaine de Kooning (March 12, 1918 - February 1, 1989) was an Abstract Expressionist and American Figurative Expressionist woman-painter in the post-World War II era. She wrote extensively on the art of the period and was an editorial associate for Art News magazine. On December 9, 1943, she married painter Willem de Kooning.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: Elaine Marie de Kooning

Alternative Names: Elaine Marie Catherine de Kooning • Elaine Maria Catherine Fried • Elaine Maria Catherine De Kooning • Elaine Fried • Elaine De Kooning • Elaine Marie Catherine De Kooning • Elaine Fried De Kooning • Elaine DeKooning • elaine de kooning • Elaine Marie Catherine Fried de Kooning • Elaine Marie Fried

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When I painted Frank O'Hara, [in 1962] Frank was standing there. First I painted the whole structure of his face; then I wiped out the face, and when the face was gone, it was more Frank than when the face was there.

When I painted my seated men, I saw them as gyroscopes. Portraiture always fascinated me because I love the particular gesture of a particular expression or stance.. .Working on the figure, I wanted paint to sweep through as feelings sweep through..

A painting to me is primarily a verb, not a noun, an event first and only secondarily an image.