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      Lost Art Salon
      • | All Art
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      • I Lucy Howard Cohen
      • | Gaétan Caron
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      • | Artist by Name
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        Calvin Anderson

        Calvin Anderson

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        Calvin Anderson (1925-2023)

        • The Collection
        • The Story
        • Calvin Anderson is a Bay Area painter, printmaker, and designer.  He studied at CCAC & Art Center College in the 1940s and was a commercial art director in SF for 40 years.  He taught Design at SFAI in the 1960s and created graphics for the SF Ballet for 20 years.  Anderson lived in Pacific Heights for 15 years and now resides in the East Bay.

          Cal Anderson was born in Livermore, California in 1925.  He gravitated towards art at a young age, recalling that he was a good student “but when it came to doing anything visual, that was my place.  I knew it.”  In high school Anderson worked part time at his father’s auto shop, helping to paint pin stripes on cars and arranging artistic window displays for the shop.  His teachers in high school were very supportive of Anderson as an artist, and helped him enter a painting in the State Fair Art Contest.  At 16, he received a scholarship to the Summer Session at California College of Arts and Crafts and loved it so much he returned for another year to study with Wolfgang Lederer and Alexander Nepote.  He became close friends with Lederer, and when Anderson entered the US Army Engineer Corps during WWII as a map maker, Lederer sent him the watercolors with which he painted scenes of the Pacific where he was stationed.  There are a handful of pieces in the Lost Art Collection from this period, including watercolors and pastels of Japan.

          Anderson returned to CCAC from 1944-1946 and then enrolled at Art Center College in Los Angeles.  The curriculum at Art Center was much more commercially-driven, and many of his early illustrations come from his years at Art Center.  After studying advertising design for two years he was eager to enter the workplace.  A child of the Depression, Anderson was practical and knew he needed to have a job, and commercial art was a way to utilize his passion to make a living.  He moved to the east coast to work as the art director for the advertising firm N.W. Ayer in Philadelphia from 1948-1950.  He met his future wife Elizabeth (Betty) at Ayer, and from there he went on to work as a graphic designer for CBS in New York, where he stayed until 1953 when they moved to the Bay Area.  

          The abstract paintings in the Lost Art Collection date from the late 1950s when Anderson and his family- wife Betty and children Eric, Sara, and Scot were living in a Joseph Eichler home in Terra Linda, San Rafael.  Anderson had a studio in the garage of every home the family lived in, and it was there that he explored the one genre which had rarely had a place in advertising - abstraction.  His colorful compositions from this era show an awareness of and fondness for Modern Art and particularly Abstract Expressionism.  Anderson is an avid museum-goer, and his time on the East Coast broadened his horizons by exposing him to new museums and different art than he had experienced in California.  His work from this period feels influenced by the New York trends at the time but in a more California palette, as he was experimenting and developing his own style of abstraction.

          In 1962, Anderson was offered a teaching position at the San Francisco Art Institute (then known as the California School of Fine Arts) and he became the founding chairman of the Design Department.  He had hoped to bridge the gap between commercial art and fine art and get to know the artists on staff, but that didn’t happen, although he recalled that “Elmer Bischoff and Frank Lobdell were always very accepting.”  He stayed at SFAI until 1968.

          Anderson worked as an advertising art director for Cunningham & Walsh, and later at Kenyon & Eckart, Johnson & Lewis, and Marshack.  In the 1960s, Anderson began working on promotion graphics for the San Francisco Ballet.  At the time, the Ballet was not as culturally appreciated as the SF Opera and Symphony, and their budget for graphic work was so small that Anderson’s agency soon dropped them as clients.  Anderson loved the work so much that he continued on free of charge for many years.  After retiring in the 1980s, Anderson formed his own agency, Cal Anderson Design, to work mainly for non-profit arts institutions.  He designed hundreds of posters, programs, and advertisements for the Ballet, as well as for Theatre Flamenco, the L.J. and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, and Humanities West.  Two of his designs from the 1960s are held in the permanent collection of SFMOMA.  Through the relationships he made working with the SF Ballet, Anderson also designed books, theater productions, and exhibitions from the 1960s into the 1990s.

          In the 1990s, Anderson began taking printmaking classes at City College of San Francisco’s Fort Mason studio.  For nearly a decade he spent several hours a week there and was extremely prolific; there are roughly one thousand prints from this time in the Lost Art Collection.  He felt that printmaking was accessible with the large studio (being too messy to do at home) and enjoyed the routine and social aspects of working in Fort Mason.  He never intended to show his prints and simply enjoyed creating them for his own artistic fulfillment.  Anderson’s prints are mainly abstract and often monochromatic, displaying his Modernist sensibilities and a knack for exploring Expressionist compositions in his own, contemporary style.

          Thanks to the Anderson family for bringing this collection to Lost Art Salon and to Cal for sharing his artwork and story with us.
        View All _|_ View Available _|_ View Sold
        Bright & Gestural Abstract<br> 20th Century Tempera Paint on Paper Board <br><br>#C3947
        Bright & Gestural Abstract
        20th Century Tempera Paint on Paper Board

        #C3947
        Calvin Anderson $595
        Monochromatic Couple <br>1990s Etching <br><br>#C3927
        Monochromatic Couple
        1990s Etching

        #C3927
        Calvin Anderson Sold $445
        Sold
        Curvilinear Warm-Toned Abstract <br>20th Century Painting <br><br>#C3876
        Curvilinear Warm-Toned Abstract
        20th Century Painting

        #C3876
        Calvin Anderson Sold $575
        Sold
        Abstracted People Scene<br>20th Century Pastel<br><br>#C3839
        Abstracted People Scene
        20th Century Pastel

        #C3839
        Calvin Anderson Sold $595
        Sold
        Abstract with Green Plus <br>20th Century Monoprint <br><br>#C3788
        Abstract with Green Plus
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C3788
        Calvin Anderson Sold $995
        Sold
        San Francisco Street View <br>20th Century Ink<br><br>#97598
        San Francisco Street View
        20th Century Ink

        #97598
        Calvin Anderson $235
        Abstracted Desert Scene <br> 20th Century Monotype <br><br>#C2612
        Abstracted Desert Scene
        20th Century Monotype

        #C2612
        Calvin Anderson $375
        Red and Pink Gestural Abstract <br> 1992 Monotype <br><br>#C2603
        Red and Pink Gestural Abstract
        1992 Monotype

        #C2603
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Red Gestural Abstract with Ellipse <br> 1992 Monotype<br><br>#C2608
        Red Gestural Abstract with Ellipse
        1992 Monotype

        #C2608
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Gold Composition with Bubble Wrap Detail <br> 1992 Monotype <br><br>#C2609
        Gold Composition with Bubble Wrap Detail
        1992 Monotype

        #C2609
        Calvin Anderson $450
        Ellipse Encircled by Linear Shapes <br> 20th Century Monotype <br><br>#C2607
        Ellipse Encircled by Linear Shapes
        20th Century Monotype

        #C2607
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Beach Abstract <br>1992 Monotype <br><br>#C2610
        Beach Abstract
        1992 Monotype

        #C2610
        Calvin Anderson $435
        Golden Monotype with Faded Bubble Wrap Detail <br>1992 Monotype<br><br>#C2613
        Golden Monotype with Faded Bubble Wrap Detail
        1992 Monotype

        #C2613
        Calvin Anderson Sold $455
        Sold
        Golden Monotype with Bubble Wrap Detail <br> 1992 Monotype <br><br>#C2611
        Golden Monotype with Bubble Wrap Detail
        1992 Monotype

        #C2611
        Calvin Anderson $435
        Halftone Textured Abstract <br> 1992 Monoprint <br><br> #C2615
        Halftone Textured Abstract
        1992 Monoprint

        #C2615
        Calvin Anderson $445
        <i>Secret Door </i><br> 20th Century Monoprint <br><br>#C2616
        Secret Door
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2616
        Calvin Anderson Sold $465
        Sold
        Gray Gestural Study <br>20th Century Monoprint <br><br>#C2621
        Gray Gestural Study
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2621
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Gestural Abstract <br>20th Century Monoprint <br><br>#C2614
        Gestural Abstract
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2614
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Gestural Study <br>20th Century Monotype<br><br>#C2614
        Gestural Study
        20th Century Monotype

        #C2614
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Klein Blue Shape Floating  <br> 20th Century Monoprint <br><br> #C2619
        Klein Blue Shape Floating
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2619
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Textured Organic Abstract <br> 20th Century <br><br>#C2618
        Textured Organic Abstract
        20th Century

        #C2618
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Halftone Abstract <br>1992 Monoprint <br><br>#C2622
        Halftone Abstract
        1992 Monoprint

        #C2622
        Calvin Anderson $450
        Geometrical Abstraction <br> 20th Century Monoprint<br><br>#C2623
        Geometrical Abstraction
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2623
        Calvin Anderson $450
        Cool Toned Whimsical Abstract <br>Mid Century Monotype <br><br>#C2479
        Cool Toned Whimsical Abstract
        Mid Century Monotype

        #C2479
        Calvin Anderson $390
        Rock-Like Abstraction <br>20th Century Monoprint <br><br>#C2477
        Rock-Like Abstraction
        20th Century Monoprint

        #C2477
        Calvin Anderson $385
        Composition with French Newspaper <br>20th C. Monotype and Collage<br><br> #C2362
        Composition with French Newspaper
        20th C. Monotype and Collage

        #C2362
        Calvin Anderson $445
        Soaring Angel <br>20th C. Monotype<br><br>#C2360
        Soaring Angel
        20th C. Monotype

        #C2360
        Calvin Anderson $650
        Muted Stylized Portrait of a Young Woman <br>1940s Acrylic <br><br>#B6388
        Muted Stylized Portrait of a Young Woman
        1940s Acrylic

        #B6388
        Calvin Anderson $650
        Abstracted Cityscape Sketch <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br>#A5407
        Abstracted Cityscape Sketch
        20th Century Graphite

        #A5407
        Calvin Anderson $265
        Minimal Portrait of a Gentleman <br>20th Century Ink Wash<br><br>#A5324
        Minimal Portrait of a Gentleman
        20th Century Ink Wash

        #A5324
        Calvin Anderson Sold $345
        Sold
        Whimsical Figure Playing the Banjo <br>20th Century Etching <br><br>#A4442
        Whimsical Figure Playing the Banjo
        20th Century Etching

        #A4442
        Calvin Anderson $395
        <i>Native Village (Philippines)</i> <br>1944 Conte Crayon <br><br>#C1083
        Native Village (Philippines)
        1944 Conte Crayon

        #C1083
        Calvin Anderson $195
        <i>Letey</i> <br>1945 Ink & Charcoal <br><br>#C1086
        Letey
        1945 Ink & Charcoal

        #C1086
        Calvin Anderson Sold $235
        Sold
        <i>Nadzab</i> <br>1944 Watercolor <br><br>#C1088
        Nadzab
        1944 Watercolor

        #C1088
        Calvin Anderson $350
        <i>Dulag, Letey</i> <br>1945 Watercolor <br><br>#C1077
        Dulag, Letey
        1945 Watercolor

        #C1077
        Calvin Anderson On Hold
        <i>Letey</i> <br>1945 Watercolor <br><br>#C1081
        Letey
        1945 Watercolor

        #C1081
        Calvin Anderson $195
        Modernist City Scene <br>1943 Watercolor <br><br>#C1089
        Modernist City Scene
        1943 Watercolor

        #C1089
        Calvin Anderson $485
        <I>Step out in Levi's</I> <br>20th Century Pastel<br><br>#97756
        Step out in Levi's
        20th Century Pastel

        #97756
        Calvin Anderson Sold $295
        Sold
        Gentleman Reading <br> 20th Century Gouache on Paper Board<br><br> #A5405
        Gentleman Reading
        20th Century Gouache on Paper Board

        #A5405
        Calvin Anderson Sold $445
        Sold
        <I>Typhoon</I> <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#97635
        Typhoon
        20th Century Monotype

        #97635
        Calvin Anderson $435
        Abstracted Inflexible Forms <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#A4452
        Abstracted Inflexible Forms
        20th Century Monotype

        #A4452
        Calvin Anderson $445
        <I>Falling Collage</I> <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#A2247
        Falling Collage
        20th Century Monotype

        #A2247
        Calvin Anderson $485
        Movement & Color Study <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#C0255
        Movement & Color Study
        20th Century Monotype

        #C0255
        Calvin Anderson Sold $485
        Sold
        Geometric Abstract Deconstruction <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#C0244
        Geometric Abstract Deconstruction
        20th Century Monotype

        #C0244
        Calvin Anderson $565
        Vibrant Brushstroke Abstract <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#C0237
        Vibrant Brushstroke Abstract
        20th Century Monotype

        #C0237
        Calvin Anderson $650
        Cool-Toned Minimalist Abstract<br> 20th Century Monotype<br><br>#A2244
        Cool-Toned Minimalist Abstract
        20th Century Monotype

        #A2244
        Calvin Anderson Sold $435
        Sold
        Contrasting Colors & Forms <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#A2245
        Contrasting Colors & Forms
        20th Century Monotype

        #A2245
        Calvin Anderson Sold $435
        Sold
        Monochromatic Artist Proof <br>20th Century Monotype <br><br>#99637
        Monochromatic Artist Proof
        20th Century Monotype

        #99637
        Calvin Anderson Sold $375
        Sold
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