Mark Tobey (1890-1976): Pioneer of Abstract Expressionism & founder of the Northwest School Mark George Tobey, born in Centerville, Wisconsin, in 1890, was more than just a painter; he was a spiritual seeker whose artistic journey mirrored his lifelong exploration of faith, philosophy, and the delicate balance between Eastern and Western aesthetics. His early life, steeped in the Congregationalist traditions of his parents – George Tobey, a carpenter with a penchant for carving animal figures, and Emma Cleveland Tobey – instilled within him an appreciation for craftsmanship and observation.…