Mid-century modern abstract oil painting by American artist William Bishop Owen Jr. This works comes from a collection of paintings by the artist that were held by the artist's family since the last exhibition of the artist's work, a retrospective held in Santa Fe in 1972.
Title: 'Marine Fantasy'
Date: 1950s
Medium: Oil on canvas
Measures: 20.25 inches x 26.25 inches sight size, and 22 inches x 28 inches x 2 inches overall including frame.
Notes: Housed in a vintage frame
Provenance: From the collection of a family member of the artist.

About the artist: William Bishop Owen Jr., (1895-1963), was born outside Chicago, Ill, in 1895. His love of art took him to the nearby Chicago Art Institute to study painting, then to the Woodstock School of Art in New York where he won 1st prize for painting at the age of 19. Soon after, back at the Chicago Art Institute, Owen won the esteemed Butler Prize in 1921, the Eisendrath Prize in 1923, and the Thompson Prize in 1925. Continually fascinated with painting and its possibilities Owen studied art history while also studying with prominent artists of his time, including with Robert Henri, John Sloane and George Bellows in New York, and in Paris with internationally renown artist Andre LÂ’Hote. During the depression Owen joined other prominent artists working with the Works Progress Administration in New York. Winning much critical acclaim for his paintings early in life afforded Owen a teaching job wherever he chose to travel, which he used to fulfill his desire for change. From his late teens until his passing in 1963 Owen lived, studied, painted and taught in Chicago, New York, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia, Wyoming, Massachusetts, France, Spain, Corsica and Majorca.

Good condition. Vintage frame shows some wear.