Harry Carmean's magical space form drawings

Harry Carmean spent a lot of time with his friend painter Lorser Feitelson who created a series of "magical space forms" paintings in the late 1940's. Although Carmean is a primarily figurative artist, it was inevitable that through his association with Feitelson he would also develope an interest in the abstract side of art. (To see more of Carmean's abtract side see prior post on Carmean's Hard Edge art). The drawings shown here were done in the 1980's and show the influence of Feitelson's earlier surreal work (top image).

Lorser Feitelson and Harry Carmean in LA Rising exhibit

Harry Carmean and Lorser Feitelson exhibited side by side at the LA Rising show at the Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara (Sept. - Oct 2011), and what a sight it was! The two artists tackled similar themes with equally successful results. Feitelson is more known to the public than Harry Carmean, but as can be seen here, Carmean holds his own when showing with Feitelson who was his close friend and contemporary for thirty years. In time, Harry Carmean will be more recognized, and like Feitelson, will be seen as one of California's best interpreters of the figure.

LA Rising book with Harry Carmean's paintings in it

This comprehensive book covering the most important artists working in Los Angeles before 1980 has arrived. Those of you who collect Harry's work will be glad to know that he has been included in it which means that slowly but surely he is becoming more accepted in the mainstream art world.