(Montreal, 1913- New York, 1980)
Canada-born, American painter, most well known for his role in Abstract Expressionism and as the source for New Image Painting.
Trained at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles and influenced by mural works by Mexican artists like Rivera and Orozco, Guston initially worked as a muralist for the Federal Art Project. A school friend of Jackson Pollock, he initially gained widespread acclaim with his abstract paintings. The most characteristic works of this period included the Dial (Whitney Museum, 1956); such painting generally depicted patches of radiant colors on light colored canvases. During the latter part of his career, he began focussing on social issues and subjects, with a return to a figurative style, which included bright colors and cartoon-like imagery. Such works are credit as being the source of New Image Painting, in America.