Howard Mehring

Howard Mehring (1931–1978) was an American painter and one of the most important members of the Washington Color School. A student of Kenneth Noland, one of the leading figures in contemporary American Color Field painting, Mehring developed a strong interest in the expressive possibilities of color and abstraction. Early in his career, from 1956 to 1958, he shared a studio with fellow Washington Color School painter Thomas Downing, an experience that placed him at the center of a dynamic group of artists exploring new approaches to color and form.

With the support and patronage of noted collector Vincent Melzac, Mehring was able to devote himself fully to painting. He also benefited from the encouragement of the influential art critic Clement Greenberg, who recognized his contribution to the development of Color Field painting. Greenberg included Mehring in the landmark exhibition Post-Painterly Abstraction at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1964, a show that helped define a major direction in postwar American abstraction.

Mehring’s paintings are characterized by rich color, fluid surfaces, and an emphasis on the physical properties of paint. His work reflects the Washington Color School’s exploration of color as the primary subject of painting and remains an important contribution to the development of postwar American abstraction.