Painter Mark Rothko (1903–1970) revolutionized mid-20th-century abstract art. Before his untimely death, Rothko repeatedly disavowed any affinity with the modernist avant-garde. His frequently quoted statement reads: "I'm not an abstractionist. I'm not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I'm interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on." And yet, even today, he remains best known for large, gauzy rectangles of color floating against equally undefined backgrounds.

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How do we make sense of Rothko's words when the evidence before our eyes seems to belie them? In this survey of his work, we will explore that question and consider how he moved beyond his early, more representational paintings, which one critic called "mediocre." We will also examine how the darker tones of his late paintings relate to his death by suicide at age 66. The answers to these questions are more complex than his supporters and critics were until recently willing to contemplate.

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Peter D'Angio developed his love of art and art history while growing up near New York City and visiting the city's museums. He later earned a master's degree in art history and served for 30 years as an Episcopal priest, a role in which he used art and architecture to bring the Bible to life. After retiring, Peter and his husband, Greg Hinson, moved to San Miguel in 2025. Peter now focuses on President Franklin Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration and its influence on modern artists who gathered in New York City before and after World War II.