Mark Rothko 1903-1970 born in Russia, immigrated to Portland, OR and lived most of his life there. He brought squares to life in a new way.
When you stand in front of his paintings the shapes literally vibrate. It looks like the squares are starting to float off of the surface. I was digging through my photos trying to find the last Rothko I saw in person. It was February 2024 at the LACMA. I will find it I promise you. And then you can see the fuzziness of his precision.
I do have a Rothko coffee table book at my studio and I keep it open often for inspiration. Below is one I look at often.
Blue Cloud, 1956 Oil on Canvas
He had a whole career as a figurative artist (so did Pollock) before abstraction.
Both eventually made action and aura visible