“Untitled #3” – Large Scale Pastel Geometric Color Field Abstract by Renee Harwin

Large-scale abstract composition in pastel with bold geometric color-fields in in red, navy blue, green, with yellow and orange accents by Renee Harwin (Austrian, b. 1924). Tag on verso with artist info. “Renee Harwin Untitled Pastel #3 30 1/4″ x 44 1/2″” is written in pencil on verso. Presented in a white plexiglass frame with plexiglass covering. Image size: 29.75″H x 44″W

As a young Viennese woman, Renee Harwin found her artistic development interrupted by Hitler’s arrival to her city. Soon after, Renee and her family left and moved to the United States. Harwin says that while “one can drawn his or her own conclusions from my work, I believe that the tremendous impact of change from Nazism to free America has left deep impressions on me that are played out on these canvases.”

Her work combines the influence of Midwest painters such as Clyfford Still and San Francisco Art Institute instructor Jack Jefferson with the early influences of Viennese culture and art. Harwin attributes much of her visual language to her architect father and to modern architecture.

Harwin resides in Marin County.

BA Painting – San Francisco State University – 1970
MFA Painting – San Francisco Art Institute – 1973

Exhibited:

UC Davis C.N. Gorman Museum – “From the Figure: Works on Canvas by Renee Harwin” – 1993
Claudia Chaplin Gallery – “Introductions ’93” – 1993