In the 1980s, Helen Frankenthaler's artistic journey continued to evolve with significant experimentation in various media, including painting, printmaking, and beyond, leading to new heights in her already storied career. During this period, Frankenthaler expanded her work into clay and steel sculpture and even ventured into designing sets and costumes for England's Royal Ballet, showcasing her versatile talent and willingness to explore new artistic frontiers​ (The Art Story)​. Her engagement with the landscape of American abstraction took a nuanced turn in the 1980s as she reintroduced textural variety into her paintings. Having mostly eschewed textural variation since adopting her signature "soak-stain" technique, the 1980s saw Frankenthaler painting with increased physicality. Works like "Grey Fireworks" feature thick dabs of paint applied against her characteristic watery-thin backdrops, indicating a renewed exploration of texture alongside her ever-evolving color fields​ (TheCollector)​. Frankenthaler's profound contribution to printmaking also continued to flourish during the 1980s, as evidenced by her renowned woodcuts. She embraced the challenges of woodcutting, experimenting with traditional Japanese ukiyo-e techniques and other complex methods that led to significant innovations within this medium. Her woodcuts from this era are celebrated for their vibrancy and fluidity, qualities that paralleled the expressive color fields of her paintings​ (invaluable.com)​. Throughout the 1980s, Frankenthaler's canvases became sites of chromatic saturation, where she employed thin washes not only to create gestural forms but to weave together expansive fields of color across the picture plane. Works such as "Carousel" (1979), though slightly predating the 1980s, exemplify the level of innovation and mastery Frankenthaler achieved in her later years, setting the stage for the decade's explorations. Her dedication to formal innovation and the breadth of her artistic exploration garnered institutional acclaim and steady market interest, with her prints, in particular, gaining notable recognition in the art market​ (Artsy)​. Frankenthaler's exhibitions in the 1980s, such as those held in Zurich and Vienna, further underscored her international stature and the broad appreciation of her work across different continents​ (Phillips)​. This decade solidified Frankenthaler's legacy as a pioneering abstract painter whose contributions to the landscape of American art extended well into the latter half of the 20th century and beyond. Mitchell's canvases from the 1980s are characterized by their bold palette and varied scale, ranging from large, multipanel works to more intimate single-panel compositions. These pieces marked a transition from the more controlled structure of her mid-to-late 1970s work to the virtuosic, allover compositions that came to define this later period of her career. Her paintings from this era are described as dynamic, resolved, and executed with a nuanced mastery of composition, scale, and color, effectively demonstrating her unique approach to abstraction​ (David Zwirner)​​ (Joan Mitchell Foundation)​. The early 1980s, following the end of her long-standing relationship with Jean Paul Riopelle, saw Mitchell produce works such as "Wood, Wind, No Tuba" (1979), which exudes a renewed sense of confidence through its vibrant hues and expressive brushwork. This period also saw the creation of significant works like "Room" (1981) and the large quadriptych "Chez ma soeur" (1981), the latter being a deeply personal piece reflecting on her sister's battle with cancer. These works highlight Mitchell's evolving exploration of color, form, and emotional depth, as well as her ability to balance the suggestion of landscape with a poignant interiority​ (David Zwirner)​​ (David Zwirner)​. Throughout the 1980s, Mitchell continued to innovate and challenge the conventions of abstract painting, engaging deeply with the figure-ground relationship and demonstrating a remarkable adeptness with color. Her work from this period not only reflects her singular artistic voice but also her engagement with broader artistic and intellectual communities, showcasing her role as a central figure within the post-war abstract expressionist movement and her enduring influence on subsequent generations of artists​ (David Zwirner)​​ (Joan Mitchell Foundation)​. Mitchell's later works of the decade, such as "Before, Again I" (1985) and "Between" (1985), exhibit a shift in tone, with long, calligraphic brushstrokes and a dominantly blue and green palette, suggesting introspection and a complex interplay between figure and ground. These pieces, characterized by their rich hues and dynamic compositions, underscore Mitchell's ongoing commitment to painting as a means of personal expression and exploration, embodying the vitality and depth of her artistic vision​ (David Zwirner)​.