Paintings about work and workers have occasionally drawn the eye of dedicated collectors. Like the history of working people, the art, and the collections deserve more attention than they are generally afforded.

The paintings and drawings here were collected by Frank Goss, who writes “I have always loved labor: the sweat of it, the motion of it, the product of it. Read More...” The art portrays these physical elements — the effort and motion — and boredom — of people at work, the workplaces and neighborhoods where they spend their time. A piece from 1931 shows a neighborhood with men returning home from work, heads bent; another, from 2005, depicts an empty street with a man selling deliciosos helados. A close-up of hands of a grape picker (also 2005), two men straining to push a heavy cart uphill, and two portraits, each a laborer with a shovel, from 1927 and 2005, all evoke the individual and physical experience of work. A keen sense of place is found in an image of a boiler room (1965), a refinery (2005), a blacksmith’s shop (1890s) and a scene of spear fishing on the Columbus River (1950).

There is much more — we hope you’ll take the time to glance at all 39 of the images in this exhibit.

The Sullivan Goss Gallery of Santa Barbara has graciously permitted us to use the images in this exhibit; contact the gallery for all questions regarding reproduction.