
"The “butterflies' are fairly planned out. They’re still intuitive, but I generally know where they’re going. It’s a different kind of freedom, a different kind of expressionism. It’s personal without being overly personal." Mark Grotjahn, 2003
Mark Grotjahn's intricate colored pencil work on paper showcases his signature "butterfly" compositions, where radiating lines of vivid color emanate symmetrically from central vanishing points, creating a sense of dynamic tension and optical depth. The work balances deliberate structure with expressive spontaneity, as Grotjahn carefully plans the overall framework while allowing intuitive mark-making to guide the layered, hand-drawn lines. The result is a deeply personal yet restrained form of expressionism, where the physicality of colored pencil on paper lends an intimate, tactile quality to the geometric abstraction.
- Medium
- colored pencil on paper
- Location
- Phillips, Salt Lake City, UT
- Spotted At
- Auction House · PhillipsView on map
🔨 Auction Lot
Contemporary Art Day Sale
May 17, 2013
More by Mark Grotjahn
Spotted works by Mark Grotjahn
Artists in conversation

Frank Stella
American · b. 1936

Stella's early pinstripe and concentric geometric works share Grotjahn's use of radiating linear structures that create optical depth and dynamic tension through precise repetition. Both artists balance rigid compositional frameworks with a sense of visual energy that feels simultaneously controlled and expressive.

Tauba Auerbach
American · b. 1981

Auerbach creates works on paper that use dense, layered line work and chromatic gradation to produce optical depth and a sense of structured spontaneity, closely mirroring Grotjahn's butterfly compositions. Both artists use repetitive mark making to generate a meditative yet vibrant visual experience.

Bridget Riley
British · b. 1931

Riley's works use radiating and repeating lines with vivid color to create optical movement and perceptual depth, qualities that are central to Grotjahn's butterfly drawings. Both artists construct works where deliberate structural planning produces an almost intuitive sense of visual energy and expressive tension.


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