JAMES WATSON TWITTY American, 1911-1994 Dropcloth, circa 1975 Oil on canvas. Verso titled, dated and signed. Unframed. 12 x 16 inches $150-250
ARTIST PROFILE: James Watson Twitty (1911–1994) was a distinguished American painter, educator, and retired Air Force colonel recognized for his sophisticated contributions to geometric abstraction and scenic modernism. Born in Mount Vernon, New York, Twitty's path to the art world was unconventional; he served a full military career, retiring as the commander of Homestead Air Force Base in 1958 before pursuing formal art studies at the Art Students League of New York. His work is characterized by a "highly personalized form of scenic abstraction," often utilizing acrylics and mixed media to create structured, cubist-influenced landscapes that balance architectural precision with soft, evocative color palettes. Twitty became a central figure in the Washington, D.C. art scene, serving as an associate professor at the Corcoran School of Art and George Washington University. Today, his paintings are held in prestigious permanent collections, including the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum.
