Caldera

Christensen graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute in the 1960s but now lives in New York City. He has been the recipient of a National Endowment Grant, Guggenheim Fellowship Theodoran Award and Gottlieb Foundation Grant. His paintings are in the collections of such prominent museums as the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. His solo and group exhibitions include galleries in cities in Canada, Germany and the United States. This large colorfield painting typifies works created by Christensen during the 1970s. The title literally means ?a large crater,? and when you look at the varying textures on the surface you begin to see some resemblance to volcanic craters. Caldera engages the viewer?s interest as the eye traverses the surface of the canvas seeking out the different textures. The varying textures throughout this alluring work prevent the viewer from getting lost in its overall composition.