excell-354.jpg Painting by Elliot Bassman

Elliot Bassman :

The following includes artist's statement and artist's resume:

Enrolled at The City College of New York, I had no problem in deciding to make studio art my primary study. I became determined to seek the best art education available.

Not only did I work with WPA artists at College, I also worked privately with Harry Shoulberg once a week at his school on 14th Street and Sixth Avenue. At that time, I began drawing and painting from the figure – under the directions of Joseph Solman and Charles Alston.

In the summer of 1971, I attended the Skowhegan School in Maine. A “cultural happening,” I was introduced to Lucas Smaras, Alex Katz and John Ashberry. I worked closely with Gabriel Laderman and Brice Marden – learning the language of art and its application.

In the summers of 1973 and 1974, I was accepted by the Woodstock Artists Association to live and work in the Jane Burr Winslow House. In 1974, I won my first prize for a landscape – juried by Ray Parker.

After City College I immediately joined the small student body at the New York Studio School. There, a thriving energy catapulted my progress. I valued the enormous support and encouragement from Philip Guston, Jack Tworkov and Mercedes Matter.



For the next two years, I set up a studio space in my first Manhattan apartment. In 1976, Columbia University welcomed me into their Master of Fine Arts Program.

My still-lifes and landscapes morphed – I painted large, nearly monochromatic abstractions. I worked closely with Bob Blackburn whose collection of prints was recently purchased by the Library of Congress- and a print of mine in Bob's private collection is among the prints now in the Library.

Upon graduation from Columbia I maintained a studio in upper Manhattan, painted many cityscapes, still lifes, portraits-on a steady basis I drew from models with Rackstraw Downes at his upper west side studio.
I started to wark part-time for the James Goodman Gallery, then located on Madison Avenue.
The experience heightened my artistic endeavors. Not only did I learn about the business of art, but also I had the unique fortune to hold up close works by 20th century masters. I frequently visited the private collections of major collectors and dealers.

I became known for my ability to install art work and I installed two exhibits for Linda McCartney and I installed Roy Lichtenstein’s first drawing retrospective.

From 1984 until 1996, I continued to work part-time – either for other galleries, private dealing, or teaching. During these years and beyond, I have exhibited in many venues: in galleries from Germany to Alaska, Sotheby’s contemporary website, White Columns Gallery, numerous Jewish Art galleries, the entire center window of Bergdorf Goodman, painted a fiberglass cow, curated and participated in severalnon-profit lower east side galleries.

Since 1997 I have painted full time in...

• Nationality: UNITED STATES
• Date of birth : 1950
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary American Artists