Lynne Drexler (1928–1999) was an American painter associated with the second generation of Abstract Expressionists, whose vibrant canvases fuse bold color with lyrical, patterned brushwork.

 

Born in Newport News, Virginia, Drexler studied under Hans Hofmann in New York and at Hunter College with Robert Motherwell, both of whom profoundly shaped her understanding of color theory and compositional structure.

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In the late 1950s and 1960s, she became an active participant in New York’s downtown art scene, exhibiting alongside major Abstract Expressionists. Her paintings often feature densely patterned fields of color, inspired equally by modernist abstraction, music (particularly opera), and natural forms.

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Later in life, Drexler moved to Monhegan Island, Maine, where she created lush, nature-inspired canvases that bridged abstraction and landscape. Though overlooked for much of her career, Drexler’s work has undergone a major resurgence in recent years, with institutions and collectors recognizing her as a vital, distinctive voice in postwar American painting.