Clifford Still (1904 – 1980) was an American painter whose work is tied to the Abstract Expressionist and Color Field Movements. He studied at the Spokane University and later received his MFA from Washington State College. In the early 1940s, Still’s art shifted from representational to abstraction, which was notably much earlier than his contemporaries who continued to paint representationally well into the 1940s. Still is considered to be one of the leading pioneers of Abstract Expressionism. His work is characterized by it’s jagged, cavern-like edges between light and dark colors. He was also known for using thick paint application, which gave his work a lot of depth. Later in his career, Still became increasingly critical of the commercial art world and eventually severed all ties with it by the 1950s, however he continued to produce artwork for himself without external pressures.

Clyfford Still’s paintings in chronological order:

Untitled, 1934	PH 77, 1936	1936-7-No. 2, 1936
PH-343, 1937	1938-N-No. 1, 1938	PH-351, 1940
Self-Portrait (PH-382), 1940	1941-R, 1941	Untitled, 1942
1943-J, 1943	1944-G, 1944	1944-N No. 1, 1944
1945-H, 1945	Untitled (formerly Self-Portrait), 1945	1947-Y-No. 2, 1947
1947-R-No. 1, 1947	PH-118, 1947	1947-H-No. 3, 1947
1947-S, 1947	Untitled, 1947	Untitled, 1947
1949-A-No.1, 1949	PH-385 (1949 No. 1), 1949	1949 No. 1, 1949
1950-K-No. 1, 1950	Untitled, 1951	PH-104, 1952
1952-A, 1952	Untitled, 1952	Untitled, 1952
Untitled, 1954	1956-D, 1956	1957-D No. 1, 1957
1957-J No. 2, 1957	Untitled, 1957	Untitled, 1959
Untitled, 1950	Untitled, 1960	Untitled, 1962
Untitled, 1962	Untitled, 1971	Untitled, 1974
Untitled, 1974	PH-1033, 1976	PH-1023, 1976