In the 1960s, Richard Diebenkorn's art continued to evolve significantly, reflecting both his deepening exploration of figuration and a pivotal return to abstraction. This period is marked by two major phases in his career: his involvement with the Bay Area Figurative Movement and the initiation of his celebrated Ocean Park series. During the early 1960s, Diebenkorn, influenced by his friends Elmer Bischoff and David Park, shifted towards a more representational style, moving away from his earlier abstract expressionism. This period saw him creating works that integrated figuration with abstract elements, drawing from European modernists like Edgar Degas, Pierre Bonnard, and Henri Matisse. His paintings from this era, such as "Cityscape I" (1963), showcased his unique ability to blend large planes of bright color with expressive brushwork within a grid-like composition, making even his more representational works evoke an abstract quality​ (The Art Story)​. A significant turning point came in the mid-1960s when Diebenkorn began his extensive series of geometric, lyrical abstract paintings known as the Ocean Park series. This series marked "a glorious return to abstraction" and became the work for which he is perhaps best known. The Ocean Park paintings, inspired by the light and space of Southern California, demonstrated a more geometric and planned approach compared to the organic forms of his earlier abstract expressionist work​ (Royal Academy of Arts)​​ (The Art Story)​. Diebenkorn's art in the 1960s is characterized by a continuous reworking of themes and techniques, transparent layers, and a balancing act between figuration and abstraction. His achievements during this decade, especially his development of the Ocean Park series, cemented his reputation as a major figure in post-war American art, admired for his persistence, innovation, and the ability to evoke the unique atmosphere of the California landscape​ (Wikipedia)​​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​.