Thornton Willis, Pioneer of Expressive Geometric Abstraction, Passes Away at 89

Thornton Willis was a quietly resolute figure, much like the paintings he created throughout his life.

When questioned in 2019 about his views on movements such as Minimalism and Conceptualism, which challenged traditional painting, Willis simply stated, "I just kept painting," adding with a wry sense of humor, "So did many others."

Willis championed a distinctive form of geometric abstraction, charged with the vitality, individuality, and tactile focus emblematic of the mid-20th century New York School.

His artistic journey moved from horizontal stripes to intricate patterns of zigzags, wedges, lattices, triangles, and crenelated forms, often applied on expansive canvases. Over decades, he meticulously explored the challenges and possibilities inherent in the painted surface, examining elements of color, texture, technique, and spatial dynamics.

Willis’s initial notable series, the “Slat” paintings, were created on the floor using four-inch paint rollers. During the 1970s, he earned considerable acclaim for his wedge shapes—upright, mesa-like forms reminiscent of box-cutter blades. Later, he transitioned to overlapping lines and triangular patterns that suggested isometric drawing. Despite stylistic shifts, his unwavering focus remained on generating balance and tension from simplicity and translating fleeting emotions into vivid colors and brushwork.

Reflecting on his lifelong dedication to painting in a 2009 documentary, Willis remarked, "In essence, I've been working on the same painting since the beginning. Each piece connects to the previous one. It seems impractical to paint on a single canvas forever, so you move forward—but each work serves as a transition into the next."