Stanley Bate

Born in 1903, Stanley Bate was undoubtedly exposed to the varied styles and techniques that were emerging during his formative years as part of the New York School of artists. During his time in New York, he absorbed the varied influences of his peers and contemporaries like Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, Joseph Cornell, Jackson Pollock, and Louise Nevelson, and soon his early realistic landscapes and still-lifes were replaced with something entirely new. We see nods to color field, collage, the mixing of textures into paint, mixed media, the inclusion of found objects and thick, luscious impasto.

By the early 1940's, Stanley and his wife, Emilie moved to Craryville, New York, a few hours north of Manhattan. Craryville was Stanley's home until his death on August 21, 1972. The Albany Institute of History and Art held a retrospective exhibition of Bate's work in 1973. Since his death, Stanley Bate's artwork has been exhibited widely and placed in numerous collections.

When discussing his work, Stanley Bate said, “Art is not an object, but an experience. To be able  to perceive it, we need to be receptive… (As to) the metaphysical quality… I would rather have it convey itself to the viewer. My paintings have no predetermined plan. They are usually worked out on the canvas. Their source may be subconscious, intuitive, unknown. I try to complete a painting in the shortest period of time in order to preserve the initial impulse. Whether my very personal feeling is communicated to the viewer, I don't really care, nor do I think it makes any difference. It makes me paint, and I am gratified if someone finds some joy in my paintings."