john hultberg was an american abstract expressionist and abstract realist painter. early in his career he was related to the bay area figurative movement; he was also a lecturer and playwright.john hultberg was born in 1922 in berkeley, california. he had a sister, helen, and brothers paul and dean. hultberg attended fresno state college, graduating in 1943. during world war ii, he was a navy lieutenant. after the war, his education at the california school of fine arts (csfa) (now the san francisco art institute) was funded by the g.i. bill. his teachers included mark rothko and clyfford sti…