This is a collection of some painters who come to mind who lean into line as one of their main aspects of visual grammar that serves as a catalyst for artistic exploration. There are many more artists that could be included but here are a few as a primer.
First up is Keith Haring – an easy choice for emphasizing line in painting.
Next we have Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, a Native American visual artist and curator.
Let’s followup with Mildred Thompson with some radiant painted lines. She was an American artist who worked in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and photography.
Next up, neo-expressionist German painter, printmaker, sculptor, and jazz drummer, A.R. Penck.
And let’s round things out with Hlima af Klint, a Swedish artist and mystic whose paintings are considered to be among the first major abstract works in Western art history.
Of course there are many artists who could be included on this post. Perhaps I’ll circle back and add some more later. While there are many obvious choices in the realm of drawing, printmaking, and the decorative arts, I’m trying to focus on paintings for this particular post, where the use of line is more of a conscious choice – bucking some of the naturalistic bent of much of Western Art History.