The Artist
Roger Kuntz
1926 — 1975
I've spent many years studying and collecting the work of Roger Edward Kuntz (1926–1975), the Southern California painter known for his intimate yet bold depictions of everyday life, Laguna Beach coastal scenes, and iconic freeway paintings.
Here's a bit about his life and artistic journey — from his early years through his productive time in Laguna Beach.
Artist at work — mid-century Los Angeles
A California Original
Roger Kuntz (1926–1975) was one of the most distinctive voices in post-war California art. Born in Long Beach, he grew up witnessing the rapid transformation of Southern California — new freeways carving through the landscape, neon signs glowing along boulevards, and a city in constant motion.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Kuntz studied at the renowned Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. There he developed his signature style: atmospheric nocturnes and urban scenes that capture the unique light, mood, and energy of mid-century Southern California. He frequently worked from on-site studies, painting freeways, gas stations, street signs, and city views with a combination of observational sensitivity and strong formal structure.
“Kuntz painted the Los Angeles that existed between the myth and the reality — the city you saw at night, through rain-specked windows, at the speed of a moving car.”
— Southern California Art Magazine, 1968
In 1963, Kuntz moved to Laguna Beach, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. The coastal town provided new inspiration, and he produced a number of important works there, including beach scenes, local landscapes, and interiors. He remained deeply connected to the broader Southern California scene while enjoying the artistic community of Laguna Beach.
During this period he also created several compelling series. His Freeway series captured the power and geometry of Southern California's expanding highways, while his Signs and Signals series focused on cropped highway signs, arrows, and traffic markers. He explored quiet domestic scenes in his Interior series and the contemplative Girl Against the Light series. Later works included the moody Bathtub series, the energetic Tennis series (inspired by his love of the game), and the playful Goodyear Blimp series, in which he turned the everyday sight of the blimp into striking geometric compositions.
Kuntz was also a dedicated educator, teaching for over a decade at Chouinard. His work was regularly exhibited at the prestigious Felix Landau Gallery in Los Angeles and at galleries in Laguna Beach, and it is held in major public collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Laguna Art Museum.
Since his death in 1975 at age 49 in Laguna Beach, both critical appreciation and market value for his paintings have grown steadily. Today he is recognized as an essential figure in California modernism — a painter who found beauty and poetry in the everyday urban and coastal landscape.
Interested in Selling a Kuntz Painting?
I actively buy original works by Roger Kuntz. If you own a painting and are considering selling, I'd be happy to review photos and provide a fair, no-obligation offer.
Life & Career
Timeline
Born in Long Beach, California to a middle-class family with deep roots in Southern California.
Enlists in the United States Navy during World War II, serving in the Pacific theater.
Returns to California and begins formal art training, enrolling at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.
Completes studies at Chouinard. His early work shows strong influence of the California Regionalist tradition.
Joins the faculty at Chouinard, where he would teach for over a decade, influencing a generation of California artists.
First solo exhibition at the Felix Landau Gallery, Los Angeles — his primary dealer throughout his career.
Receives significant critical recognition. His nocturnal freeway and street scenes begin to define his mature style.
Work acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and other major public collections.
Participates in major group exhibitions surveying California contemporary art, cementing his regional significance.
Retrospective exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum. Considered the height of his critical reputation.
Roger Kuntz passes away at age 49 in Los Angeles, leaving a body of work that captures the essence of mid-century California life.
Public Collections
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Oakland Museum of California
Palm Springs Art Museum
Pasadena Museum of California Art
Long Beach Museum of Art