Stamped verso for estate of Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988) and painted circa 1955.

A Post-Impressionist figural watercolor showing a young woman partially-clothed in evening wear and adopting a somewhat provocative stance.

Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di Gesu first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and the Chouinard Art School before moving to Paris where he studied with Andre L’Hote and Yves Brayer at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. While in Paris, Di Gesu exhibited extensively, including at the Louvre, the Exposition des Artistes Étrangères, the Grand Palais of the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Arts Décoratifs among other Parisian Salons. He subsequently attended Barcelona’s Escuela de Bellas Artes before furthering his studies in Rome at the Studio Hinna. Returning to California, Di Gesu worked beside notable American Modernists including F. Tolles Chamberlain and Maynard Jepson.

Already a gifted colorist, Di Gesu’s classical training combined with his scientific research into color theory, allowed him to create vivid yet harmonious works which, while reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin, revealed a verve and spontaneity that remained uniquely his own. A prolific artist, Victor di Gesu was the recipient of numerous medals and juried awards, both in the United States and France. After his return to California, he continued to exhibit widely and with success, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Jack Hooper
“Green Nude 1”
c. 1980s
Acrylic paint on magazine page
9″x10.75″ black wood gallery frame float mount 11″x14″
Signed in pencil lower right

Hooper’s distinctive approach to artistry is exemplified by his ingenious use of acrylic paint on a magazine page, where elements of the original page subtly peek through the layers of vibrant color. This technique adds an intriguing depth to the composition, blurring the boundaries between reality and abstraction.

Jack Meredith Hooper (August 26, 1928 – January 24, 2014) was an American painter, muralist, sculptor, printmaker and art educator. Hooper was a major figure on the Southern California art scene, belonging to that generation of Los Angeles painters who matured during the late 1950’s and the 1960’s, painters such as John Altoon, Sam Amato, Robert Irwin, Lee Mullican, William Brice and Billy Al Bengston. Recognized as gifted in art by family, he began art training in a Work Projects Administration (WPA) school at the age of twelve. Hooper served in the United States Army Air Corps at the end of WW II.

Education

1951 AA Los Angeles City College
1952 B.A., Painting, magna cum laude, Mexico City College
1952-53 Académie Julian, Académie de la Grande Chaumière
1956 graduate study in at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
1958 M.A., Painting West Coast Modernist School

Hooper knew many of the artists of the period, including Frida Kahlo who would become the subject of many of his portraits and studies over the coming decades.

Teaching/ Appointments
1956 teaching assistant; UCLA
1957 Associate in Art, Drawing & Painting; UCLA
1960 & 1962 Summer Visiting Professor of Art; University of Colorado, Boulder
1961 Assistant Professor of Art, UCLA
1962-1969 Assistant Professor of Art, Chairman of the Art Department, Director of Galleries; Mount St Mary’s College Los Angeles
1975-77 Visiting Professor of Art; University of California Santa Cruz, CA

Shows (partial list)
1965 “Three California Painters,” Long Beach Museum of Art, CA
1963 Oakland Museum of Art, CA
1965 “Three California Painters,” Long Beach Museum of Art, CA
1963 Oakland Museum of Art, CA
1962 “Fifty California Artists” Organized by the San Francisco Museum of Art with the Collaboration of the Los Angeles County Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
1961 “Arts of Southern California – VIII: Drawing,” Long Beach Museum of Art, CA. Traveled to: Everhart Museum of Art, Scranton, PA; Columbia Museum of Art, SC; Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA; Columbus Museum of Art & Crafts, GA; Eastern Illinois State College, Charleston, IL.; La Jolla Art Center, CA; Texas State College for Women, Denton, TX: University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
1961 Santa Monica Municipal Art Gallery, CA
1960 San Francisco Museum of Art, CA
1960 Seattle Art Museum, WA

Co-founded Aesthetic Research Center (A.R.C.) with architect, Frank Gehry

This vintage boho original abstract oil painting titled “Structures” showcases a dynamic composition of geometric forms and textured layers. The artist’s use of bold brushstrokes and an earthy color palette creates a captivating visual that embodies the essence of abstract expressionism. This unique piece is perfect for adding depth and character to any space, making it a standout addition to any art collection.

Landscape watercolor painting of a Burlington Vermont two fire place farm house with the old wooden fence and spring flowers. This painting came from a collector in Southampton NY who inherited the piece with the house that was purchased years ago.

Actual painting measures 14 inches wide by 10.25 inches high, watercolor on paper. Matted and framed behind glass. The entire piece with framing measures, 18 inches high by 22 inches wide and 1 inch deep.

This piece is in excellent condition, with very little signs of wear, in the original framing. Estimated to be from the late 1960’s to very early 1970’s. The artist passed away in 2018 at the age of 81.

Stamped verso for estate of Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988) and painted circa 1955.

Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di Gesu first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and the Chouinard Art School before moving to Paris where he studied with Andre L’Hote and Yves Brayer at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. While in Paris, Di Gesu exhibited extensively, including at the Louvre, the Exposition des Artistes Étrangères, the Grand Palais of the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Arts Décoratifs among other Parisian Salons. He subsequently attended Barcelona’s Escuela de Bellas Artes before furthering his studies in Rome at the Studio Hinna. Returning to California, Di Gesu worked beside notable American Modernists including F. Tolles Chamberlain and Maynard Jepson.

Already a gifted colorist, Di Gesu’s classical training combined with his scientific research into color theory, allowed him to create vivid yet harmonious works which, while reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin, revealed a verve and spontaneity that remained uniquely his own. A prolific artist, Victor di Gesu was the recipient of numerous medals and juried awards, both in the United States and France. After his return to California, he continued to exhibit widely and with success, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Signed lower right, “V. Di Gesu” for Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988), dated 1946; additionally signed verso and titled “Blue Teapot”.

A vibrant still-life showing a bouquet of wildflowers informally arranged in a blue-glazed teapot and contrasted against a variegated forest-green background.

Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di Gesu first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and the Chouinard Art School before moving to Paris where he studied with Andre L’Hote and Yves Brayer at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. While in Paris, Di Gesu exhibited extensively, including at the Louvre, the Exposition des Artistes Étrangères, the Grand Palais of the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Arts Décoratifs among other Parisian Salons. He subsequently attended Barcelona’s Escuela de Bellas Artes before furthering his studies in Rome at the Studio Hinna. Returning to California, Di Gesu worked beside notable American Modernists including F. Tolles Chamberlain and Maynard Jepson.

Already a gifted colorist, Di Gesu’s classical training combined with his scientific research into color theory, allowed him to create vivid yet harmonious works which, while reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin, revealed a verve and spontaneity that remained uniquely his own. A prolific artist, Victor di Gesu was the recipient of numerous medals and juried awards, both in the United States and France. After his return to California, he continued to exhibit widely and with success, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Design Plus Gallery presents “Woman” by Peaches, Thailand. An Original Quadriptych Painting, Thailand has dynamic slashes of movement and color across all four canvases. Originally a Thai language school teacher, Peach toot to the road as a freelance artist, traveling all through Europe, Australia and Japan keeping his “Little Prince” (imagination alive through his art. Little surface wear; art is in good condition for age and use.

A large scale 19th century Hudson River School landscape painting depicting people fishing on a moonlit lake. Unsigned. Original giltwood and gesso frame is in good condition with minor repair and touch-ups to gilt. Artist unknown, but similar in subject and composition to the Albert Bierdstadt painting “Lake Tahoe, Spearing Fish by Torchlight” and similar in style to the François Regis Gignoux Painting “Landscape with Man Fishing”. Circa 1850-1880.
Frame: 48.5″ x 41.25″H x 3.25″D
Sight: 36.5″W x 29.25″H

Introducing “Pippa, Nino: Iris Field at the Mouth of the Rhone,” a captivating artwork presented in a Gold Gilt Wood Frame.

This atmospheric landscape showcases a mesmerizing palette of violets and blues, drawing the viewer into a scene of tranquil beauty.

We adore the way the colors lead the eye to the small sailboats gracefully dancing in the distance, creating a sense of serenity and depth. This piece is truly fantastic on its own, but pairs exquisitely with its complementary artwork, “The Lavender Field by the Rhone.”

Includes a Certificate of Authenticity for added assurance and value. Hanging wire is included for easy display.

11’W x 14″H

Please message us for discounts regarding multiple items shipping to a single location.

Certification of authenticity stamped, verso, for Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988) and painted circa 1955.

Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di Gesu first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and the Chouinard Art School before moving to Paris where he studied with Andre L’Hote and Yves Brayer at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. While in Paris, Di Gesu exhibited extensively, including at the Louvre, the Exposition des Artistes Étrangères, the Grand Palais of the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Arts Décoratifs among other Parisian Salons. He subsequently attended Barcelona’s Escuela de Bellas Artes before furthering his studies in Rome at the Studio Hinna. Returning to California, Di Gesu worked beside notable American Modernists including F. Tolles Chamberlain and Maynard Jepson.

Already a gifted colorist, Di Gesu’s classical training combined with his scientific research into color theory, allowed him to create vivid yet harmonious works which, while reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin, revealed a verve and spontaneity that remained uniquely his own. A prolific artist, Victor di Gesu was the recipient of numerous medals and juried awards, both in the United States and France. After his return to California, he continued to exhibit widely and with success, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.