Renowned for his elegant architectural designs, Craig Ellwood (1922–1992) fused a Californian sensibility with the strict formalism of European modernist architects like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. A maverick figure, self-taught and hugely ambitious, Ellwood’s life story embodies the frontier spirit of the West Coast. He moved with his family from Texas to California in the mid-1920s, and as an adult he changed his name from Jon Nelson Burke, thinking Craig a more appropriate name for an architect. His buildings combined glass walls and steel frames with a particular attention to site, and his legacy can be seen throughout Los Angeles.

With the rise of postmodernism, Ellwood began to turn away from architecture. He became increasingly drawn to the purity of form offered by abstract painting. His widow, Leslie Phillips, stated that “Craig felt that painting was a purer expression of his architectural vision.” Ellwood was deeply influenced by Josef Albers, who he met at Yale University in the 1950s while Albers was serving as Chairman of the Department of Design. The four Masonite and plywood works, For Josef, pay tribute to his mentor. Ellwood was also encouraged to paint by famed Hard Edge abstract artist, Lorser Feitelson, who sent two blank canvases to Ellwood’s office, along with a note bearing the simple instruction—“Paint!”

1978
acrylic on canvas
60" h x 60" w

Artwork donated by Stuart D. & Ellen Buchalter
86 0003