1961 marks a pivotal moment in Totten’s career, departing from the subdued desert-inspired color palette that had characterized his previous work to embrace a more flamboyant and adventurous aesthetic, embarking on a creative exploration that resonated with the buoyant spirit of the era. This marked shift coincided with Totten’s deepening engagement with Synchromism, a movement spearheaded by Stanton MacDonald-Wright, under whose tutelage Totten had studied. Drawing inspiration from MacDonald-Wright, Totten absorbed the foundational principles of Synchromism, yet he always approached them as a catalyst for his own distinctive artistic vision.
Totten’s artistic process appears deceptively effortless, mirroring the demeanor of the man behind the brush. Modest, soft-spoken, and gentle, Totten embodied humility in his approach to his craft. Yet, beneath this unassuming exterior lay a profound commitment to his artistry. Immersed in the act of painting, Totten dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his practice, infusing each canvas with a palpable sense of daring and conviction.
To liken Totten’s oeuvre to that of luminaries such as Clifford Still or Edward Dugmore may seem audacious at first glance, however, upon closer examination, one discerns a shared mastery of abstract expressionism and a profound depth of artistic expression. Totten stands shoulder to shoulder with these titans, his capacity to produce profound abstract works attesting to his enduring legacy as a visionary artist.
In 1961 Don Totten shifts off a desert inspired color palette to one which was more flamboyant and adventurous. These buoyant works were also in continuing interest in Synchromism, the movement at of which Stanton MacDonald-Wright was at the helm. Totten was a student of Wright and Los Angeles was considered a hot bed of avant-garde work at this time. Totten took from Wright many of the principles of this movement for always just as a springboard for his own natural inclinations. As we see in Abstraction, 1961 this work is firmly grounded in Totten’s interlocking forms that are all meant to co-exist together. This is a beautifully harmonious work that is painterly and intuitive but ebbs and flows as any 30 inches in nature would if you cropped it and looked at it abstractly. Totten’s works look like they are easily arrived at and in a way, they reflect the man who painted them. He was a man who chose his own path and was an individual thinker, but he was also modest, soft-spoken, and gentle. He immersed himself in painting though and with a commitment that is felt in every canvas. It is daring to compare his work of that of a Clifford Still or an Edward Dugmore but in doing so one sees that he was shoulder to shoulder with his ability to do a great abstract work.
Even though lyrical abstraction was more of a term used for the European abstractions at this time, it could be applied to Totten. And here we see a lovely understanding and flow of how to intersperse just the right amount of color poking from behind, such as the yellows in this work. Like in nature, sometimes we see the glint of yellow sun coming around a branch or a rock and it catches our eye. This piece has that feel and reminds us that often there is a landscape feel to his compositions.
Don Totten: Los Angeles Modernist, 1997, Palos Verde Art Center, Ranchos Palo Verdes, CA., March 15 – April 27, 1997, illus p. 41