We lost masterful, world-renowned painter Brice Marden on August 9th. If you don’t know who Marden was, it’s okay, his name wasn’t as well known as Picasso or Matisse. He wasn’t known for living his life as Warhol did, in the public eye. But before he died his paintings were selling for $34 million.
Marden earned his MFA from Yale in 1963 where he studied with Alex Katz and Philip Pearlstein. It was at Yale that he developed his famous style of muted palette and rectangular formats. Many early canvases were monochromatic during this time. After relocating to New York City and traveling widely, he became influenced by what he saw and experienced. He was inspired by Chinese calligraphy and it found its way into his work. He executed paintings using long sticks for making new, gestured lines, rather than brushes. His background painting hues caught fire.
Marden was a painter’s painter. A searcher and a risk taker. I unashamedly stole ideas from Brice Marden often in past years. I think I’ve studied almost every book on the man. I am in love with his work.
Even though he lived 84 years I feel like he still had so much left to accomplish.
I toasted his life with friends last Saturday night and then our conversation went on.
Even so, I haven’t shaken this sad pit in my heart. He will never make another painting. And there isn’t a damned thing anyone can do about it.
