Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11

Pat Berger
"Two Yellow Parakeets and the Surviving Plant" Oil Painting by Pat Berger

circa 1960

About the Item

Something is mesmerizing about the paintings of Pat Berger - a captivating force that immediately draws us in. Her work is characterized by a unique composition structured through the interplay of colors - an approach that allows her to reveal unexpected sources of pure light. This oil painting, captures a moment frozen in time, showing a fire in the background with on the front a fighting plant, its leaves bending, yet from its very decay emerges new life, in the form of a tender sapling, reaching upwards. However, the apparent tranquility of this moment contrasts with the fierce, blazing background, reminding us of the destructive power of fire. The two scared birds draw closer to the living plant. It's as though they know that it must be protected, and nurtured. The scene speaks to the tenacity of life and the power of renewal. It reminds us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, new beginnings can emerge, that with every ending comes a new start and that the cycle of life continues, unbroken, unstoppable, and infinite. In this particular painting, Berger introduces plants and branches, using them as a metaphor for the human condition. Like people, trees grow, bloom, fade, and age - and Berger's work reminds us that all of life's stages are worthy of celebration. Her versatility as an artist, educator, and activist has made her an influential figure in the art world, with her paintings exhibited in galleries and museums around the globe. Some of her work has even found a permanent home in various galleries and museums, a testament to the enduring power of her art. Patti Berger's signature is at the bottom right of the painting. Pat Berger is an acclaimed painter born in New York in 1929, who has captivated audiences with her remarkable works for decades. She received her training in painting at the Art Center School of Design and U.C.L.A. during World War II, where she absorbed modernist concerns for expression, composition, and color-light interaction. Berger's career spans several decades of painting, alternating between figures and landscapes and examining the natural landscape and social narratives. Berger's latest collection of trees and branches, which includes the rose bush in this painting, reflects her central concerns with nature and beauty. She has been featured in many galleries and museums, including recent solo shows at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Santa Barbara and the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Berger has also received numerous awards and honors for her work, including a fellowship for The Julia and David White Art Colony in Costa Rica, a National Watercolor Society Purchase Award, and a California Community Foundation, Brody Arts Fund Fellowship Award. Her work is featured in numerous public collections, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Skirball Museum, and the Palm Springs Desert Museum.
  • Creator:
    Pat Berger (1929, American)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1960
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 27.88 in (70.82 cm)Width: 23.25 in (59.06 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Pasadena, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU654311841642

More From This Seller

View All
French Mid-Century "The Polytechnique Students" Painting by Bernard Cornille
Located in Pasadena, CA
The 14th of July is the National Day in France. That night every high school in Paris have an orchestra playing in the streets. This painting is depicting musicians students expres...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still-Life Blue Tones Oil on Canvas by Edward Sotello
Located in Pasadena, CA
With this oil painting realized by the Californian artist Edward Sotello, we can clearly see on the right a glass, a vase, and some flowers placed on a table. On the left, a possible...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Duck Lake" California Expressionist Oil Landscape by John Mitchell Martin
Located in Pasadena, CA
This oil painting features a calm lake where eleven black ducks swim. The artist painted a water pipe on the lake's left bank while a palm tree stands alone at the center. John Mit...
Category

20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Watercolor Portrait of a Soldier in a Large Black Frame
Located in Pasadena, CA
In this watercolor portrait, framed in a large black frame, the viewer is captivated by the three-quarter head depiction of a middle-aged soldier. Th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dyptich Rural scenes from the Chinese Countryside - Oil Painting - a Pair
Located in Pasadena, CA
This peaceful pair of 19th Century paintings show two rural scenes from the Chinese countryside. One is a shepherd sitting by the river,...
Category

19th Century Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Pigeon at Sunrise" Animal Acrylic Painting on Yellow Background by Ian McCaine
Located in Pasadena, CA
In this squared composition, Ian McCaine transports us into a suspended moment, where the soft light of a sunrise barely reveals the contours of the world. Against a background domin...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Animal Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

You May Also Like

Contemporary Expressionist Horse in Blue and Yellow
Located in Austin, TX
Artist: Daniela Nikolova Medium: Oil on Canvas Size: 39.3" x 31.5"
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Walk under umbrella 40X30 oil
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've captured a serene stroll, both playful and introspective. The vibrant umbrella stands against the soothing backdrop, a dance of color and light, invoking a...
Category

2010s Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Magic dream 80X80
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I've delved into the tender connection between nature and childhood. The way the child and the majestic animal share a moment of silent conversation amidst the ...
Category

2010s Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Reverie" (2024) By Jill Soukup, Original Oil Painting on Board
By Jill Soukup
Located in Denver, CO
Jill Soukup's "Reverie" (2024) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a horse kicking up dirt while in motion on an abstracted background. About the artist: Jill Soukup...
Category

2010s Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Snooze" (2024) By Jill Soukup, Original Oil Painting on Board
By Jill Soukup
Located in Denver, CO
Jill Soukup's "Snooze" (2024) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts two horses resting side by side. About the artist: Jill Soukup was born in Buffalo, New York. Short...
Category

2010s Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chevaux, 1928 - huile sur toile, 54x73 cm.
By Peter Pálffy
Located in Nice, FR
Huile sur panneau par Peter Pàlffy, représentant des chevaux. Dimensions avec le cadre: 77x99 cm Peter Pallfy est un peintre autrichien du XX siècle que a...
Category

1920s Expressionist Animal Paintings

Materials

Oil

Recently Viewed

View All