Helen Frankenthaler came to prominence at the denouement of Abstract Expressionism, creating works that paved the way for the development of Color Field painting ... Moving away from brushstroke and gesture, Color Field focused on large areas of solid color, as seen in the works of artists including Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman and, later, Kenneth Noland and Morris Louis. ‘Frankenthaler’s “stain” technique — in which she poured turpentine-thinned paint directly onto raw canvas — bridged the gap between earlier works by Jackson Pollock and the later Colour Field painters. While she was averse to gender differentiation, her works of the period are visibly more fluid, gestural and harmonious in style than those of her male peers. Painted in 1986, Regatta is a late example of this style with tremendous visual impact. (http://www.christies.com/features/A-spotlight-on-seven-female-contemporary-artists-8095-1.aspx?sc_lang=en&cid=EM_EMLcontent0414480recommended_3_0&cid=DM83083&bid=81318016)