Sari: Thanks for tracking down the image. It’s WAY too bad they won’t let it stay there for longer than a week – especially since you have properly identified it.
It’s part of the Washington Gallery of Modern Art Collection, which the museum purchased in total (except 1 or 2 pieces that had to stay in D.C.) back in, I think, the early 70s (maybe late 60s). So the works were collected in Washington in the 1960s, which might explain better its inclusion in that collection.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grovecanada/6012797152/ here she is! (I am going to remove this image within the week, so anyone who wants to have a gander go now)…I am glad to say someone named Alison was kind enough to respond promptly today from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art regarding the Riopelle titled Corall…(I put it in my Flickr account momentarily for education purposes- but it will be down soon, promise)…You can see his signature painting knife technique already, plus his extra thick quantity…I must say the colours are unique in this one- haven’t seen any with coral before…Honestly my husband can’t believe there is a Riopelle in Oklahoma at all- but it turns out there is a sculpture fountain of his there too! Neat!

Wow! You worked at OKCMOA? NICE collection! Couldn’t find Corall either so I wrote to their curatorial asking if they still have it & for an image source…Let’s see how good they are without you!

That’s not bad. I can’t find the OKC Riopelle anywhere online. It’s called Corall.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32357038@N08/5269566967/in/photostream/ Here’s a pretty Riopelle, well, prettier than the one’s I found in public collections…It looks like the big galleries got the harder colours & maybe the private collectors got the softer stuff…I went through 8 big public collections & only found a nicer one on Flickr that had sold at Christies…(Yes, even the ones at our National Gallery of Canada are harder to look at- primary reds & blues together…)His knife technique is neat & he uses alot of paint, plus the whole abstract thing & was part of the “Automatistes” group who were insistent on the flow thing…In Paris he was the crazy Canadian, but little did they know, we all are up here!

Sari: As far as I know, I’ve only seen that one painting. I’d love to see more.
I love that he buddied around with circus performers and race car drivers. I think he would have been fun to hang out with.

Susan: Glad you enjoyed it. You’ll love the book!