After a 10-year absence from the Los Angeles area, the paintings of California artist Wayne Thiebaud are on display in the Frederick R. Weisman Museum through March 23.
By Andrea Banda
A&E Editor
Scrumptious desserts, barbecued chicken, portraits, San Francisco cityscapes and the Sacramento River Valley –– the work of California artist Wayne Thiebaud has returned to Pepperdine.
The exhibit displays a collection of his work from 1955 to 2003 and is part of the celebration commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the Weisman Museum. When the museum first opened in September 1992, Thiebaud’s one-person exhibition was the first to occupy its walls.
Today, Thiebaud is one of California’s most respected and admired artists, Museum Director Dr. Michael Zakian said.
“What makes his work so special is that he does paintings that are highly respected by art professionals, such as professors and museum directors,” Zakian said. “But (the paintings) are also very accessible to the American public.”
During Thiebaud’s 50-year career he has received numerous honors for his work, such as the 1991 California Governor’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts, the 1994 National Medal for Arts Presidential Award and an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree from California State University, Sacramento in 1998.
Thiebaud studied at Sacramento State College and the California School of Arts and Crafts. In 1960 he became an assistant professor of art at the University of California, Davis, and eventually held various positions as a professor. He is currently a professor emeritus.
Thiebaud’s art toured the nation in 2000-2001, stopping in cities such as San Francisco and New York, but skipped the Los Angeles area. The Weisman exhibit will now allow the people of Southern California to see his art again after more than 10 years.
Zakian predicted Thiebaud’s exhibit will be better attended than the Rodin exhibit in 2001.
The exhibit showcases a chronology of Thiebaud’s artistic career. The 44 paintings, all from private collections, demonstrate his experimentation in technique and the discovery of his own distinct style.
Thiebaud’s early paintings from the 1950s demonstrate his artistic curiosity, as well as subject matter. Zakian said that during that era, the movement of popular art began to shift toward popular imagery. It was during 1961 and 1962 that Thiebaud discovered his style in the still life of food.
“He painted types of food that we all grew up with, they are something we all relate to,” Zakian said.
Rotisserie chicken, bread and butter, ice cream, as well as delectable cakes and pastries entice viewers’ eyes and appetites. A deli counter and a bakery case capture the beauty and delicate details of typical American food.
A signature feature of Thiebaud’s Pop Art food paintings is the white or light background behind the objects, also a characteristic of realism and abstraction. The oil paints are not lightly brushed, but are thick, textured and creamy against the canvas. These thick layers of paint bring the food to life, enhancing their beauty.
Thiebaud’s portrait paintings also capture the exquisiteness of the human figure in a moment of time. The abstract background and intricate details of the figures enhance the splendor of the moment.
Thiebaud’s use of bright color, intense light and rich paint, typical to all of his paintings, are part of his signature “California style.”
“Overall, it is all realist, yet creative in interpreting subject matter,” Zakian said. “He is really inventing colors and shapes to represent what he wants to show the viewer.”
The California landscape paintings with mountains, hills and farms are representative of Thiebaud’s creative interpretation.
In 1973 Thiebaud bought a second home in San Francisco and shortly after began to paint cityscapes of the community. In these cityscapes, Thiebaud uses San Francisco’s steep hills to depict the true character of the city. He enhances these paintings with tall buildings and city streets.
Thiebaud’s latest series of paintings is of the Sacramento River Valley where he resides. His choice of bright colors and light create a unique view of the Sacramento farming community.
“His paintings are just happy,” Zakian said. “He has a very optimistic view of life and it comes through in his art.”
The exhibit will be displayed at the Weisman Museum until March 23 and is organized in conjunction with the University Library Gallery at California State University, Sacramento.
January 16, 2003
