Mark Adams: Works on Paper

Works on Paper highlights thirty-six etchings, aquatints, and lithographs ranging in date from 1962 to 1996. Though now remembered for his luminous watercolors, San Francisco artist Mark Adams (1925-2006) began his career as a designer of tapestries, as well as stained glass pieces for liturgical buildings in America. In 1974, Adams grew frustrated with his craft and his lack of complete control over the creative process and devoted himself to painting in the hopes of creating small, intimate works. Adams realized that with watercolor, he could best apply his knowledge and techniques of working in flat planes of luminous and translucent color. The work on display depicts Adams' quintessential still-lifes and landscapes, all of which are painted with his luminous and compelling style and superb draftsmanship, iconizing the commonplace.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.