Shade

Best remembered for an intense color palette organized in an Abstract Expressionist manner, George Bireline spent most of his career balancing his artistic exploration with a commitment to teaching. A native of Peoria, Illinois, Bireline served in the European theater of World War II. Upon discharge from the military, he studied painting at Bradley University and later received a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1963. His representation by a New York gallery in the 1960s gained him critical acclaim, which was sustained by prestigious fellowships and participation in major retrospectives and group exhibitions.

Bireline’s oeuvre was consistently informed by his interest in social issues relating to justice, health and sexuality, environmental stewardship, and religion. These concepts manifested in a range of styles including illusionism and narrative scenes, figural abstract paintings, and his iconic color field paintings.