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    Lost Art Salon
    • | All Art
    • | New Arrivals
    • I "The Way We Were"
    • | Gaétan Caron
    • | Freeman Sargent
    • | Yeon & David Warner
    • | Book Your Visit
    • | Artist by Name
    • | Art by Category
      • Abstract
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    • | Art by Medium
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      Bernard Zawisa

      Bernard Zawisa

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      Previous Artist

      Bernard Zawisa (1925-2000)

      A Master of Pattern & Color

      • The Collection
      • The Story

      • Entranced by the color of the seasons and the versatility of the newly-developed acrylic paints, Bernard J. Zawisa spent half a century crafting vivid abstract forms with acrylic, ink, and mixed media. He began his art practice after serving in the US Air Corps during WWII, receiving his BA from Wesleyan University and his MFA from the University of Iowa. Following his studies of Art History and English, he joined Southern Connecticut State University as an art professor in 1958 and taught until his retirement in 1994. During his winter and summer breaks, Zawisa created art while traveling internationally, however, the majority of his pieces were created during extensive stays in Los Angeles and weekend trips along Highway 1 along the California coastline. He placed great importance on the intuitive transition between color and form unique to acrylic paint, and avoided figurative content. His work is now represented in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The Salon is proud to host several of his raw and angular early work from the 60’s (Works of Texture, Bridge Series), his highly geometric and organized paintings from the Early-Mid 70’s (Quatrefoil Series, Circle Series, Grid Pattern), and a selection of his late works from the late 70’s to 90’s (Star Series, Galaxy Series). Thank you to Zawisa’s partner, Mr. Wiggen, for taking such good care of this extraordinary collection, and for entrusting us with Bernard’s legacy.

        Artist Statement

        As for my own painting I give primacy to color, that is, color in a context or in a pattern. These are structured in a grid system of repeated shapes. Initially, I predetermine the choice of colors but as the painting progresses, as the shapes are overlapped, as the colors are blended and the work begins to take a life of its own, the initial colors have generally changed. When to my perception the painting has achieved an organic color unity, it is finished. 

        Of direct influence on my work are the colors of the seasons. Summers are spent in California where the light is a strong factor in perceiving color vibrance. The coastal mountains abound with flora or the deepest yellows and reds with rusty siennas and violet purple. The interior landscape presents another combination of golden ochres as found in the seductively soft and flowing hills. In Connecticut the transitory periods of early spring with its fragile color and autumn with its rich spectrum of hues as well as the singular beauty of the grey tones of a winter landscape command interest and attention. 

        My understanding of art involves a duality of activities – perception and conception. The former deals with visual grasping of formal elements in an organic whole; the latter is concerned with the identifying and distilling of concepts and feelings within the form. In reality both activities are inseparable and occur simultaneously; however, to give uniqueness to art, to distinguish it from other forms, I believe, an emphasis or focus should be given to the former activity, to the perception of formal elements.

        Timeline

        • (1925) - Bernard James Zawisa born May 12, Middletown Connecticut
        • (1944-1946) - 2nd Lieutenant, United States Air Force, Navigator
        • (1946-1950) - Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, Bachelor of Art. Etchings, including series based on James Joyce’s “Ulysses” for Honors Program. Abstract, figurative and still life paintings.
        • (1952-1954) - University of Iowa, studio, art history and theory. Master of Fine Arts in painting. Series of etchings, including one based on Jackson Pollock’s Mural; abstract figurative paintings. Work included in exhibition of American Federation of Arts, National Traveling Exhibition.
        • (1956) - Travels to Puerto Rico; meets Ralph E. Wiggen in San Juan. Series of Fortress and El Moro, San Juan, Puerto Rico drawings and paintings. Works included in exhibition of Essex Art Association, Essex, Connecticut; Boston Arts Festival, Boston, Massachusetts; and American Federation of Arts, National Tour Traveling Exhibition
        • (1957-1958) - Teaches Art History, Studio Painting, Drawing and Aesthetics at Wilkes College (now University), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
        • (1958-1994) - Professor of Art, Southern Connecticut State University. Teaches Design, Drawing and Painting; organizes and teaches courses in color, water-based media in painting and philosophy of Art. 1994 retires as Professor of Art Emeritus
        • (1960-1966) - Paints Series of texture paintings, Zawias’s notes: “imprinted, veils of brush texture, stained, layers of other colors applied with flowing strokes of a wide brush, sponge or cloth”.
        • (1962-2000) - Paints in California during January and June through mid-September. Week-end motor trips to San Diego, La Jolla, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara and Las Vegas. Frequent motor trips on Coastal Highway 1 from Morro Bay to Carmel, Monterey and San Francisco. 
        • (1964) - Continues to work on discs over land/water series, bridge series, squarish forms and veils of texture series. Zawisa’s note: “squeegee, brush, hard edge shaped by newspaper”. Work included in the New England Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture, Silverman Guild of Artists, New Canaan.
        • (1966) - Paints hard edge curved linear and striped landscape series; striped lines series; and tension series. Zawisa’s note: “hard edge shaped by tape.” Exhibition of work at Spectrum gallery, New York, New York. Work included in exhibitions of Connecticut Artist Educator Invitational, Widener Gallery, Austin Arts Center, Trinity College, Hartford, and Group Show, New York University, New York, New York.
        • (1970) - Zawisa’s notes: “Series of 50”x50” acrylic on canvas paintings of four intersecting circles in red, violet and blue; circles within squares. Work included in the exhibition of Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan.
        • (1974) - Paints discs/arcs grid pattern series. Draws landscapes. 
        • (1976) - Continues to paint discs and arcs in grid pattern series. Paints first of star theme/field paintings, five pointed stars, stars and rectangle series. Work included in the exhibition of The Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, Connecticut.
        • (1977) - Paints and draws five and six pointed star theme/field, fragmented stars, galaxy and nebulosity series. Work included in exhibition of Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art, Hartford; “ Mainstreams 1977”, Grover Hermann Fine Arts Center, Marietta College, Marietta, Oho, Arts League Southern Connecticut State College, New Haven; and the The Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich.
        • (1983) - Paints newsprint collages; six pointed star field paintings; corrugated cardboard stars; and six pointed astronomical stars. Early November, diagnosis of tumor in cranium in area below right ventricle. 
        • (2000) Accompanies Wiggen daily to his law offices. Draws informal sketches. In late September becomes ill and retires. Expires October 3, 2000, complications from brain tumor.
        • (2001) - September 3-28, 2001, post mortem exhibit, “Selected Paintings”, John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven.
      View All _|_ View Available _|_ View Sold
      <i>Destroyed</i> <br> 1959 Oil <br><br>#C2539
      Destroyed
      1959 Oil

      #C2539
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $2,395
      Sold
      <I>Ceremonial</I> <br>1975 Acrylic<br><br>#C2441
      Ceremonial
      1975 Acrylic

      #C2441
      Bernard Zawisa $5,375
      <I>Tension</I> <br>1966 Acrylic<br><br>#C2442
      Tension
      1966 Acrylic

      #C2442
      Bernard Zawisa $2,950
      <I>Tracery</I> <br>1962 Acrylic <br><br>#C2443
      Tracery
      1962 Acrylic

      #C2443
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $3,950
      Sold
      <i>Disc Over Textured Land/Water</i> Series <br>1963 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C2413
      Disc Over Textured Land/Water Series
      1963 Acrylic on Paper

      #C2413
      Bernard Zawisa $1,100
      <i>Landscape with Sun Disc</i> Series <br>1991 Acrylic & Pencil on Paper <br><br>#C2399
      Landscape with Sun Disc Series
      1991 Acrylic & Pencil on Paper

      #C2399
      Bernard Zawisa $1,050
      <i>On the Way to Las Vegas</i> <br>1993 Mixed Media Collage <br><br>#C2400
      On the Way to Las Vegas
      1993 Mixed Media Collage

      #C2400
      Bernard Zawisa $1,050
      <i>Works of Texture</i> Series <br>1964 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C2395
      Works of Texture Series
      1964 Acrylic on Paper

      #C2395
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,100
      Sold
      <i>Works of Texture</i> Series <br>1964 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C2405
      Works of Texture Series
      1964 Acrylic on Paper

      #C2405
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,075
      Sold
      <i>Works of Texture</i> Series <br>1964 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C2409
      Works of Texture Series
      1964 Acrylic on Paper

      #C2409
      Bernard Zawisa $1,075
      <i>Veils Upon Veils</i> <br>1987 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C2402
      Veils Upon Veils
      1987 Acrylic on Paper

      #C2402
      Bernard Zawisa $950
      <i>Pinwheel</i><br>1975 Colored Pencil<br><br>#C2345
      Pinwheel
      1975 Colored Pencil

      #C2345
      Bernard Zawisa $675
      <i>Disc Pattern</i><br>1957 Pencil<br><br>#2348
      Disc Pattern
      1957 Pencil

      #2348
      Bernard Zawisa $1,075
      <i>Squarish</i><br>1960 Pastel<br><br>#C2333
      Squarish
      1960 Pastel

      #C2333
      Bernard Zawisa On Hold
      <i>Disc Grid Pattern</i> <br>1976 Pencil <br><br>#C2344
      Disc Grid Pattern
      1976 Pencil

      #C2344
      Bernard Zawisa $1,190
      <i>Mountainscape with Barren Tree</i><br>1962 Acrylic and Ink<br><br>#C2358
      Mountainscape with Barren Tree
      1962 Acrylic and Ink

      #C2358
      Bernard Zawisa $975
      <i>Sports Coupe</i><br>1960 Acrylic and Collage <br><br>#C2334
      Sports Coupe
      1960 Acrylic and Collage

      #C2334
      Bernard Zawisa $565
      <i>Cost</i><br>1960 Acrylic and Collage<br><br> #C2330
      Cost
      1960 Acrylic and Collage

      #C2330
      Bernard Zawisa $550
      <i>Dusk</i><br>1957 Acrylic<br><br>#C2340
      Dusk
      1957 Acrylic

      #C2340
      Bernard Zawisa $1,250
      <i>Abstracted Female Torso</i><br> 1957 Tempera <br><br>#C2356
      Abstracted Female Torso
      1957 Tempera

      #C2356
      Bernard Zawisa $1,050
      <i>Still Life With Flowers</i><br>1950's Etching <br><br>#C2336
      Still Life With Flowers
      1950's Etching

      #C2336
      Bernard Zawisa $485
      <i>Owl Image</i><br>1953 Etching <br><br>#C2349
      Owl Image
      1953 Etching

      #C2349
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,920
      Sold
      <i>Mountainscape with Yellow Disc</i><br>1962 Acrylic<br><br>#C2352
      Mountainscape with Yellow Disc
      1962 Acrylic

      #C2352
      Bernard Zawisa $1,150
      <i>Night</i> or <i>Dawn Gray</i> <br> 1962 Acrylic <br><br>#C2353
      Night or Dawn Gray
      1962 Acrylic

      #C2353
      Bernard Zawisa $1,075
      <i>Figurative Sketch</i><br>1960s Ink<br><br>#C2338
      Figurative Sketch
      1960s Ink

      #C2338
      Bernard Zawisa $450
      Circles & Arches <br> 1975 Acrylic <br><br> #C1845
      Circles & Arches
      1975 Acrylic

      #C1845
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $6,550
      Sold
      <I>Pyramid, Arch & Pinwheel Series</i> <br>1967 Acrylic <br><br>#C1928
      Pyramid, Arch & Pinwheel Series
      1967 Acrylic

      #C1928
      Bernard Zawisa $9,995
      <i>Circles</i> <br>1969 Acrylic <br><br>#C1840
      Circles
      1969 Acrylic

      #C1840
      Bernard Zawisa On Hold
      Blue & Orange Abstraction <br>1975 Acrylic <br><br>#C1842
      Blue & Orange Abstraction
      1975 Acrylic

      #C1842
      Bernard Zawisa $6,750
      <i>Energy</i> <br>1991 Acrylic on Paper <br><br>#C1912
      Energy
      1991 Acrylic on Paper

      #C1912
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $2,895
      Sold
      Circles in Abstraction <br>1971 Acrylic <br><br>#C1680
      Circles in Abstraction
      1971 Acrylic

      #C1680
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $7,450
      Sold
      <i>Reflections</i> <br>1976 Acrylic <br><br>#C1858
      Reflections
      1976 Acrylic

      #C1858
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $8,450
      Sold
      Star Series Optical Abstract <br>1977 Acrylic <br><br>#C1856
      Star Series Optical Abstract
      1977 Acrylic

      #C1856
      Bernard Zawisa $6,450
      Disc Optical Art <br>1975 Acrylic <br><br>#C1847
      Disc Optical Art
      1975 Acrylic

      #C1847
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $6,450
      Sold
      <i>Untitled (Grid Pattern Series)</I> <br>1973 Acrylic <br><br>#C1906
      Untitled (Grid Pattern Series)
      1973 Acrylic

      #C1906
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,875
      Sold
      <i>Fractured Star</i> <br>1982 Acrylic <br><br>#C1855
      Fractured Star
      1982 Acrylic

      #C1855
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $4,450
      Sold
      <i>Scarlet Crescents</i> <br>1975 Acrylic <br><br>#C1859
      Scarlet Crescents
      1975 Acrylic

      #C1859
      Bernard Zawisa $6,550
      Loose Geometric Abstract <br>1959 Acrylic <br><br>#C1838
      Loose Geometric Abstract
      1959 Acrylic

      #C1838
      Bernard Zawisa $6,875
      Vivid Geometric Abstract <br>1959 Acrylic <br><br>#C1904
      Vivid Geometric Abstract
      1959 Acrylic

      #C1904
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $6,850
      Sold
      <i>Shadow Images</i> <br>1959 Oil <br><br>#C1914
      Shadow Images
      1959 Oil

      #C1914
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $4,950
      Sold
      Mixed Media Abstract, 1961 <br><br>#C1853
      Mixed Media Abstract, 1961

      #C1853
      Bernard Zawisa $6,850
      Heavily Textured Geometric Abstract <br>1958 Oil <br><br>#C1925
      Heavily Textured Geometric Abstract
      1958 Oil

      #C1925
      Bernard Zawisa $7,450
      Geometric Rose Abstraction <br>1969 Acrylic <br><br>#C1677
      Geometric Rose Abstraction
      1969 Acrylic

      #C1677
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $7,485
      Sold
      <i>Disc Forms</i> <br>1973 Acrylic <br><br>#C1835
      Disc Forms
      1973 Acrylic

      #C1835
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $7,485
      Sold
      Circular Abstraction <br>1992 Acrylic <br><br>#C1372
      Circular Abstraction
      1992 Acrylic

      #C1372
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $975
      Sold
      Skyline Abstraction <br>1956 Tempera Paint <br><br>#C1533
      Skyline Abstraction
      1956 Tempera Paint

      #C1533
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,975
      Sold
      <i>Untitled (Fortress Series)</i> <br>1957 Acrylic <br><br>#C1464
      Untitled (Fortress Series)
      1957 Acrylic

      #C1464
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,385
      Sold
      <i>When the Cow Jumps Over the Moon</i> <br>1953 Etching <br><br>#C1769
      When the Cow Jumps Over the Moon
      1953 Etching

      #C1769
      Bernard Zawisa Sold $1,175
      Sold
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