Sam Gilliam

We authenticate, certify, issue certificates of authenticity (COA), appraise the value and broker the sale of paintings, prints, sculptures and drawings by Sam GILLIAM.

American

Born: 1933, Tupelo, Mississippi, USA.

Died: 2022, Washington, D.C., USA, aged 88.

He spent most of his life in the United States, particularly in Washington, D.C., where he became a key figure in the Washington Colour School movement. He also spent time in Louisville, Kentucky, during his early years before moving to Washington, D.C., in the 1960s.

Typical Subject Matter:

Sam Gilliam is best known for his abstract expressionist paintings that often explore colour, texture, and form. His work spans a variety of mediums, but he is particularly celebrated for his innovative use of the canvas, often incorporating unconventional techniques and materials.

Gilliam’s subject matter often explores the relationship between colour and space, as well as the interaction between the viewer and the artwork. While he avoided direct representation, his work conveys emotional depth through colour fields, dynamic patterns, and an intuitive response to form.

Typical Style:

Sam Gilliam is renowned for his contributions to Colour Field painting and his radical approach to the traditional canvas. He is especially noted for his draped canvases, where he redefined the use of space by allowing the canvas to hang freely from the wall or ceiling. This unorthodox method of installation gave his works a sense of three-dimensionality, turning paintings into sculptural forms that interact with the space around them.

His canvases often feature broad, flowing swathes of colour that seem to spill or cascade across the surface. The brushwork is typically fluid, with expressive, sweeping strokes, reflecting the energy and spontaneity of the artist's process. In many ways, Gilliam’s work can be seen as a bridge between abstract expressionism and minimalism, as he infused his paintings with both emotional power and a concern for formal simplicity.

Typical Material and Media:

Gilliam is known for his inventive use of materials and techniques. He often worked with acrylic on unframed canvas. His famous draped canvases were created by stretching unprimed canvas. In addition to acrylic paints, Gilliam experimented with other materials, including watercolour, ink, and even fabric, which contributed to his rich, textured surfaces. Throughout his career, Gilliam worked in a variety of media, including paper, sculpture, and printmaking.

His work in the 1970s and 1980s often incorporated metallics and sheen.

If you own a painting, a sculpture, a print, or a drawing by or attributed to Sam Gilliam, we would like to learn about it. Please send us photos or contact us at [email protected]. You will generally receive a response within 24 hours.