William Perehudoff

William Perehudoff’s upbringing in a small prairie farming community shaped his unique approach to color. Working alongside post-war icons such as Kenneth Noland and Jules Olitski, Perehudoff is a key yet under-historicized figure in the development of color field painting. Maintaining a dedication to the Saskatchewan farmlands that so-deeply informed his practice. In 1947, Perehudoff came into contact with several Canadian artists working towards abstraction, namely Lawren Harris. By the 1950s, Perehudoff began travelling to Europe, studying under Amédée Ozenfant and marrying fellow Canadian artist Dorothy Knowles. The couple settled in Saskatchewan and were instrumental in developing an international presence for Canadian abstraction through the Emma Lake Workshops.