About Jules

I wrote a letter to Jules Olitski, as I wanted very much to show his work. He responded by inviting me to his island in New Hampshire. That summer, I went to New Hampshire, and Olitski sent someone to pick me up in a small boat. When I arrived at Bear Island, there was Olitski, a large man with soft eyes, holding a big glass of Scotch, at ten in the morning. I liked him immediately; he was a very warm and attractive man. He was just about to go to sleep during the day. His wife, Kristina, a young and beautiful Greek lady, welcomed us, and we went to the house. We talked for a while and had a beautiful lunch. Olitski didn’t go to sleep that day. Instead, we went to his studio.

How interesting it was to me that most of the canvases were lying on the floor, as that’s where he painted them. They were thickly textured, and he covered the whole canvas in this way. This was the beginning of a new style for him, as the earlier works were much more minimal and painted very thinly.

We met again for dinner, and then after dinner everybody went to sleep except Olitski and me. We stayed by the dinner table and talked—all night. We didn’t talk about art. We talked about Jewish literature, with which he was so familiar, as was I. I think this was the magic. Talk to an artist about any subject other than art, and he will love you. And that’s how my relationship with Jules Olitski began.

We did a few shows in Scottsdale of his work. Olitski came with Kristina, and we made a great exhibition. Jules died in 2007. I love you, Jules Olitski.

—Riva Yares

Published on the occasion of the exhibition Jules Olitski – Color to the Core: Painting 1960–1964 Yares Art, New York November 7, 2020–January 30, 2021

Catalogue © Yares Art, New York 2020 Olitski at the Core: An Introduction © David Ebony The Sticky Spring Leaves, the Blue Sky © Alexander Nemerov “A Curious Painting is Taking Shape”: Jules Olitski’s Ludic Surfaces, 1959–1964 © Patricia L Lewy Jules Oltiski Chronology © Alex Grimley

Editorial and Design Production: SNAP Editions, New York Editorial: Sarah S. King, Annikka Olsen, Diane Armitage, Stephanie Cash, Nathan Jones Design: Tim Laun and Natalie Wedeking Printing: Brilliant Graphics, Exton, PA Principle Photography: Jason Mandella Photography: Michael Cullen: p.79; Clint Jenkins: p.11; Chris Jorian: p.37; Joe Kramm Photography: p.107; Chris Loomis: p.90; James Hart: pp.44, 56, 65, 80, 81, 82 (left & right), 85; Rachel Portesi Photography: p.83 (left & right); Michael Tropea: pp.62, 75; Michael Visser: pp.34, 39, 42, 53, 86

Edition of 1,000 ISBN: 978-1-7324480-3-2

All works by Jules Olitski © 2020 Estate of Jules Olitski licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York All documentary materials, including photographs on p.92, fig 1; p.122, courtesy of the Jules Olitski Estate Archives.

© Ugo Mulas Estate: p.2, 51 Paul Klee © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York: p.7, fig.1 Joan Miró © 2020 Successió Joan Miró/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris 2020: p.7, fig.2 Ossip Zadkine © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris: p.8, fig.3 Henri Matisse © 2020 Succession H. Matisse/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; photo © Archives H. Matisse, all rights reserved: p.8, fig.5; p.22, fig.6; p.25, fig.12 © Arnold Newman/Getty Images: p.18 Jean Dubuffett © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris: p.21, fig.2 Vasily Kandinsky © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York: p.24, fig.11 © 2020 New York Times via Redux Pictures: p.95, fig.13 © Cora Ward: p.96, fig.16 © Reg Lancaster/Getty Images: p.97, fig.17 © Dawn Andrews: p.97, figs.20, 21; p.98, fig.26; p.117 © Sara Lukinson: p.98, fig.22 © Jimm Roberts: p.101, fig.34 Kristina Olitski © Jules Olitski Estate: p.102, fig.37; p.113 © Zann and Pinkerton Photography: p.103, fig. 43

Quotes: p.28: Recorded at the First Annual International Distinguished Artists Symposium and Exhibition at the Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT, April 28, 1994; moderated by art critic Karen Wilkin. Excerpted from Jules Oltiski: Modern Master, a film by Ames Hill Productions in cooperation with The Olitski Family Estate © Directed and produced by Kate Purdie and Andy Reichsman, 2011. p.43: Jules Olitski, “Speech delivered at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, March 27, 1975,” in Kenworth Moffett, Jules Olitski (New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, 1981), 218–220; edited for clarity. p.52: Jules Olitski, “Painting in Color,” in XXXIII International Biennial Exhibition of Art, Venice, 1966.

Individual images appearing in this publication may be protected by copyright in the United States of America, or elsewhere, and may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the rights holder. In reproducing the images contained in this publication, the publisher obtained the permission of the rights holders wherever possible. Should the publishers have been unable to locate the rights holder, notwithstanding good faith efforts, it requests that any contact information concerning such rights be forwarded so that they may be contacted for future editions.

Cover image for softcover edition: Fanny D, 1960. Magna acrylic on canvas, 89 x 89 ½ in. (226.1 x 227.3 cm)

Dust jacket image for hardcover edition: Lucy’s Fancy,1960. Acrylic on canvas, 79 x 125 in. (200.7 x 317.5 cm)

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