Ocean Park No. 67, 1973, Richard Diebenkorn. Oil on canvas. 100 x 81 in. The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection. © The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn, Catalogue Raisonné #1482

Ocean Park Series, 1962, John Altoon. Oil on canvas. 72 x 84 in. Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, CA: Museum purchase with additional funds provided by Dr. James B. Pick and Dr. Rosalyn M. Laudati, Mr. Ward Chamberlin, Mrs. E.G. Chamberlin, Patricia Fredericks, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Neisser, Mr. and Mrs. John Martin Shea, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Goldstein, Zada Taylor, Mr. David H. Steinmetz, and Mrs. Bernard McDonald. Permission courtesy of the Estate of John Altoon and Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco, CA. Photo by Gene Ogami

Quality Material, 1966–68, John Baldessari. Acrylic on canvas. 67 3/4 x 56 1/2 in. Collection of Danielle and David Ganek. © John Baldessari

Sonny, 1961, Billy Al Bengston. Oil on Masonite. 36 x 36 in. Billy Al Bengston Studio Holdings. © Billy Al Bengston. Photo by Brian Forrest

Stage II, 1958, Karl Benjamin. Oil on canvas. 50 x 70 in. Collection of Louis Stern. © Karl Benjamin, courtesy Louis Stern Fine Arts. ©Photography by Gerard Vuilleumier

Standard Station, Amarillo, Texas, 1963, Ed Ruscha. Oil on canvas. 64 1/2 x 121 3/4 in. Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; gift of James Meeker, Class of 1958, in memory of Lee English, Class of 1958, scholar, poet, athlete and friend to all. © Ed Ruscha

The Los Angeles County Museum on Fire, 1965–68, Ed Ruscha. Oil on canvas. 53 1/2 x 133 1/2 in. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1972. © Ed Ruscha. Photography by Lee Stalsworth

Torn Cloud Painting 73, 1972, Joe Goode. Oil on canvas. 72 x 96 in. Collection of Joe Goode & Hiromi Katayama. © Joe Goode

Untitled, 1952, John McLaughlin. Oil and casein on fiberboard. 32 1/8 x 48 1/8 in. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Joseph H. Hirshhorn Purchase Fund, 1991. Photographer: Lee Stalsworth

Untitled (Portrait of Crystal), ca. 1961, Marjorie Cameron. Ink and gouache on wood panel. 43 1/2 x 11 3/4 in. Collection of Scott Hobbs. Permission courtesy of Cameron Parons Foundation

Untitled (Red on White Optical), 1964, Lorser Feitelson. Oil on canvas. 60 x 40 in. Courtesy of D. Wigmore Fine Art, Inc., New York. Image © Feitelson Arts Foundation, courtesy Louis Stern Fine Arts. © Photo by Casey Brown

Untitled (Venice), 1967, Lee Mullican. Oil on canvas. 80 x 120 in. Estate of Lee Mullican, Courtesy of Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Los Angeles. © Estate of Lee Mullican

Untitled (White Light Grid Series-V), 1969, Mary Corse. Glass microspheres in acrylic on canvas. 108 x 108 in. Andrea Nasher Collection. Permission courtesy Ace Gallery and the artist

Up with in, 1957–58, Frederick Hammersley. Oil on linen. 47 7/8 x 36 in. Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, CA. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Estate of Walter and Elise Mosher. © The Frederick Hammersley Foundation. Photo: Schenck & Schenck, Claremont

Video: Mary Corse speaks about her work, April 2011