Abstract Painting
The works below offer a glimpse into the hundreds of paintings William Quigley has placed in private collections over more than four decades. Throughout his career, abstract painting has remained a fundamental part of his creative process, informing the depth, energy, and originality of his work. Rather than viewing abstraction and figuration as separate disciplines, Quigley approaches them as complementary languages, with each continually informing the other. His abstract works are driven by intuition, art history, layering, chance, and the physical act of painting, balancing spontaneous gesture with deliberate composition.
Working with collage, found materials, expressive brushwork, scraping, and repeated revisions, building complex surfaces that reveal traces of both process and evolution. His paintings draw upon the traditions of Abstract Expressionism, Arte Povera, Dada, Neo-Expressionism and his love for minimalism, while maintaining a distinctly contemporary visual vocabulary.
Quigley has often remarked that "without the wide-open palette of techniques learned through abstraction, my portraits would not have the depth or originality they possess." For him, abstraction is not a departure from representation but the foundation upon which his figurative work is built, allowing each painting to move beyond likeness toward a more psychological and emotional presence. Over four decades, Quigley's work has entered more than 480 collections. His loyal collector base includes more than ten individuals whose collections range from 10 to 46 works, reflecting a sustained commitment to his evolving practice.
OH FATHER, 2020-1, 72 X 48 INCHES
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
LOBSTER, 2020, 72 X 48 INCHES
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ITS AN ELECTION YEAR, 2020, 60 X 72 INCHES
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU, 2013-15, 72 X 48 INCHES
OIL, PASTEL,CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, RHEINGOLD FAMILY COLLECTION
OIL, PASTEL,CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, RHEINGOLD FAMILY COLLECTION
RED AND BLUE SWIRLS, 60 X 48 INCHES, 2014
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
AS IS, 72 X 72 INCHES, 2017
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ITS WHEN HE FIRST BROKE OFF FROM THE OTHER FELLAS, 74 X 74 INCHES, 2017
OIL, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF BRENT AND WENDY MARTINI
OIL, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF BRENT AND WENDY MARTINI
LETS FIGURE THIS ONE OUT, 40 X 52 INCHES, 2025
OIL, PASTEL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF BRENT AND WENDY MARTINI
OIL, PASTEL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF BRENT AND WENDY MARTINI
LESS SAID EASILY MENDED, 72 X 72 INCHES, 2018
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, RHEINGOLD FAMILY COLLECTION
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, RHEINGOLD FAMILY COLLECTION
I LIKE THEM ALL FOR THE SAME REASONS, 30 X 22 INCHES, 2025
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
HUH #2, 48 X 48 INCHES, 2002
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF PETE FRANCIS
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF PETE FRANCIS
MANNY SILVERMAN SERIES, YELLOW FORREST, 40 X 30 INCHES, 1989
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF JOHN GODSEY
OIL, ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF JOHN GODSEY
MANNY SILVERMAN SERIES CAN U SEE A FACE? , 30 X 22 INCHES, 1990
CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION
CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION
UGH NOT HIM AGAIN, AS IS, 40 X 30 INCHES, 2024
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
YELLOW SWIRL, 48 X 36", 1994
OIL ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ALASKA, 40 X 30 INCHES, 2022
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
ALASKA, 36 X 26 INCHES, 2020
ACRYLIC, PASTEL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
ACRYLIC, PASTEL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICHARD SMITH
I DIDN'T GET THE WIRE YET, 36 X 26 INCHES, 2018
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION
ACRYLIC, SPRAY PAINT, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION
YOUR ART PURCHASE TODAY MAYBE WORTH MORE THAN YOUR HOME, 20 X 16 INCHES, 2010
ACRYLIC, OIL, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON LINEN, COLLECTION OF KELLI WEISS
ACRYLIC, OIL, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON LINEN, COLLECTION OF KELLI WEISS
RED SWIRL #7, 20 X 16 INCHES, 1999
ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICARDO MIYARES
ACRYLIC, OIL CRAYON, CHARCOAL ON PAPER, COLLECTION OF RICARDO MIYARES
MANNY SILVERMAN SERIES, ARTNET AUCTION, ALASKA, 30 X 22 INCHES, 1999
ACRYLIC, PENCIL CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION GERMANY
ACRYLIC, PENCIL CHARCOAL ON PAPER, PRIVATE COLLECTION GERMANY
BLUE SWIRL #4 38 X 44, 2019
ACRYLIC MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS, PRIVATE COLLECTION