Jack Bush (1909-1977) is one of Canada's most successful abstract artist. Beginning in the 1960's he achieved international recognition for his works that were associated with the leading American artists of color-field painting.  

A graduate of Toronto’s OCA (today the Ontario College of Art and Design), and a key member of Painters Eleven, Bush was very influential on the developing art scene of Toronto in the 1960s and 70s. Bush represented Canada at the 1967 Sao Paolo Biennale, and the Art Gallery of Ontario toured a retrospective of his work in 1976.

Unlike his Painters Eleven contemporaries, Bush would achieve an unrivalled level of success in New York and beyond during these two decades after being praised and guided by esteemed critic Clement Greenberg. As a result of their interactions, Bush would become friendly with several of the artists affiliated with the color-field movement including Jules Olitski and Kenneth Noland. 

This work "Sketch for Basie's Blues", dating from 1975 is evocative of Bush's style from the 1970's. It was a preparatory work for a larger canvas painting. This sketch contains signature Bush elements with diagonal blocks of bold colors curving upward. 

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"Sketch for Basie's Blues-7265"

Canada, 1975

Signed and dated by the artist (under mat). 

Chalk and colored pencil on paper

8"H 5"W (work)

Framed

Very good condition

Provenance: Wolten/Udell Gallery, Edmonton