Sam Gilliam (born November 30, 1933) is celebrated as the first artist to remove the stretcher bars from his canvas paintings in order to display them in a drape-like fashion. In 1965, this innovative idea transformed his paintings into sculptural works of art which were displayed hanging from gallery walls and ceilings.

Gilliam’s artwork has been associated with both abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction.

Paintings by Sam Gilliam in Chronological Order

Comet I, 1964	Tempo, 1965	Light Fan, 1966
Red Petals, 1967	Restore, 1968	Untitled, 1968
A Warmth, A Lightness, A Glow and Then, 1968	Light Depth, 1969	Abstraction, 1969
April 4, 1969	Pink Flutter, 1969	Red April, 1970
Untitled, 1970	Lady Day II, 1971	Blue Swirl, 1971
Loon, 1971	Red Linger, 1972	Stand, 1973
Fog In The Hollow, 1974	Baptistry, 1975	Toward a Red, 1975
St. Albans, 1976	Mars at Angles, 1978	Untitled, 1978
Coffee Thyme, 1980	Elegy #2, 1980	Lattice, 1981
Buoy Landscape II, 1982	In Celebration, 1983	Ibis, 1987
Waking Up, 1989	Aviation 3, 1990	Chehaw, 1990
Pretty Boxes, 1993	Water Surface, 1993	Time Before History, 1994
Horse, 1995	Rubiyat, 1997	Horses Upside Down, 1998
Bluest, 1998	Manet II, 1999	Manet III, 1999
Manet I, 1999	Tapestry, 2000	Bowling, 2001
I
Untitled, 2002	Untitled, 2003	Rhinoceros 3, 2004
Castle Banner 5, 2004	Blue Line, 2004	Lot and Square, 2007
River Falls, 2008	Wide, 2008	This Time, 2008
Newly Little, 2009	Remembering Girls Ajar, 2009	Recitals, 2009
Tempo Series #2, 2010	Black Garland, 2011	Close to Trees, 2011
Fog Light, 2011	Sea Color, 2011	Wall Cascade with Mirror, 2011
Sac 1, 2012	Sac 2, 2012	A Spring Thaw
Icon	Icon	Plow
With Orange	Wall Forest	Pearlie
Untitled	Rainfall	Cubes