Thornton Willis

"In the late 40's and throughout the 50's we attempted to reach the limits of painting. In the 60's we tried to extend and exceed the boundaries of painting. In the 70's we tried to rescue painting. In the 80's we opened the gates and several reactionary movements abounded under the category of neo-expressionism. In the 90's we were once again on a rescue mission. As we near the 21st century, the mainstream direction of painting may be toward a synthesis of the reductive, planar-like direction of De Stijl and Russian constructivism, and more biomorphic forms. This could result in a kind of organic geometry; a "biomorphic constructivism" that could become throroughly woven into the fabric of society. The relationship of painting to the well-being of mankind might then be more clearly understood."


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Thornton Willis

"The best painting is always "open-ended." It asks questions, and partners with the viewer to bring the experience to closure, or it might excite another painter to respond--this is what I aim for in my work."

Thornton Willis was born in Pensacola, Florida on May 25, 1936. His father, a founding minister in the Church of Christ, envisioned that his son would follow in his footsteps. Instead, Thornton decided, after the Marine Corps, to go to Auburn University and pursue a degree in architecture. It was at Auburn that Thornton became convinced that his "calling" lay in the realm of pictorial image making. He graduated in 1962 from the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1966, he completed his Masters work at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he had been mentored by expatriate New York painter Mel Price. Mel Price, a close friend of painters Franz Kline and Willem deKooning, encouraged Thornton to pursue his career in New York City. Thornton came to New York in 1967 and taught at Wagner College in Staten Island. He began showing his work with the Henri Gallery in Washington D.C. and later with the Bykert Gallery and the Paley and Lowe Gallery. In the 80's Mr. Willis was represented by the Oscarssen Hood Gallery, NYC, and in Europe by Claus Nordenhake. He has participated in exhibitions at the Sydney Janis Gallery, the Andre Emmerich Gallery, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Mr. Willis has gone on record in various interviews and articles over the years that his work derives much of its strength from the work of the New York School of Abstract Expressionism. Twelve generations of American pioneers, farmers, and evangelists have also informed the work with a stark integrity, directness and singular pragmatic moral urgency.

Selected Public Collections:

  • Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Ct.
  • Chase Manhattan Colection, New York, NY
  • European Fine Arts Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
  • Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
  • New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • The Power Institute of Arts, Sidney, Australia
  • The Prudential Insurance Company of America
  • The Herb and Dorothy Vogel Collection, NYC
  • The Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC
  • Musee A La Chaux-de-fonds, Switzerland
  • Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York
  • Denver Museum of Fine Art, Denver, Colorado
  • Museum of Modern Art, NYC
  • Museum of Art, Carnegie-Mellon PIttsburgh, PA
  • Malmo Museum of Fine Art, Kunsthalle, Malmo, Sweden
  • The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.
  • Southeast Banking Corp. Miami Florida
  • Southwest Banking Corp. Los Angeles, California
  • Solomon R. Guggenmheim Museum, NYC
  • CBS William Paley Collection, NYC

Thornton Willis can be contacted at thornton@muse-eek.com.