Figurative painter James Weeks (1922-1998) was born in Oakland, California, to bandleader Ansel Weeks and classical pianist Ruth Daly. Considered a member of the first generation of Bay Area Figuration, his work is characterized by a signature “flattened” style, bold outlining of brilliant color fields, and aggressive, interlocking shapes. His influences range from European Modernists Henri Matisse and Max Beckmann, to California Modernist Maynard Dixon and Mexican muralist Clemente Orozco. His works from this period are especially valued for their exceptional balance between color and form, as well as their clear exploration of light and space. Unlike other members of Bay Area Figuration, Weeks never experimented in a non-objective style. He painted “the darker side of American culture”: jazz clubs and sports arenas. His characters do not represent an "everyman" or seek to convey a universal truth about humanity; rather, they serve as social commentary. Weeks held teaching positions at the San Francisco Art Institute (1958-1967)--where his colleagues included artistic luminaries Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff--the University of California, LA (1967-1970), and Boston University where he acted as Chairman of the Art Department. The work of Weeks can be found in the collections of such prominent institutions as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Corcoran Gallery, Washington, DC; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C. Source: http://www.westbrookgalleries.com/index.cfm/james_weeks_bio_193.htm undefined

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