Stepping Up with Thornton Willis
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

A senior figure in American abstraction, Thornton Willis is nearing his 75th birthday and painting at a high a level as ever. Working forward from a 2009 exhibition which saw him using a post-and-lintel formation to build his pictures, he has moved on to stacking blocky shapes that similarly recall architecture while allowing him to employ a vibrant palette. “In the Grid” opened yesterday, and runs through April 23 at Elizabeth Harris Gallery, 529 West 20th Street, 6th Floor, between 10th and 11th avenues, 212-463-9666, eharrisgallery.com.