Indeed, Pittman may be justly regarded as our foremost painter of gay pride. As Jody Zellen has written, "Pittman paints with such elegance and determination that no matter what the subject--loss, death, sex, or desire--each painting is a celebration. A celebration of the act of painting and of survival, both of which are such integral aspects of Pittman's life that they have become the subject of his paintings."

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Critics have labeled Pittman one of the most influential artists of his generation. He has been featured in several of the Whitney Museum's prestigious Biennial exhibitions, and his paintings are held in the collections of many museums in the United States and abroad.

The respect that Pittman has earned as an artist is reflected in his position as Professor of Fine Arts at UCLA. He lives in Los Angles with his longtime companion, fellow artist Roy Dowell, with whom he sometimes collaborates.

After Stonewall, American gay male art underwent a radical transformation as artists came out and began to treat gay themes openly and directly.

Contemporary Art, which designates new currents in art since 1970, is identified with postmodernism; during this period an art addressing gay and lesbian identity emerged.