Wayne Thiebaud — Biography, Artistic Movement & Legacy
Art is such a nebulous term because it covers an expansive collection of items and mediums. For example, most people would claim that a painting is a work of art, but what about an advertisement? If an ad isn’t considered a work of art, at what point does it stop being a commercialized piece and start becoming artistic?
This blurry line between art and consumerism was part of the foundation of the Pop Art movement of the 60s. Visionaries like Andy Warhol come to terms with their own definitions of “art” by showcasing “mundane” items in a gallery. The message behind the movement was powerful, and its influences are still being felt today.
Although not as famous as Warhol, Wayne Thiebaud was one of his contemporaries and dabbled in pieces that fit the Pop Art aesthetic. However, while other Pop artists used modern production techniques, Thiebaud painted most of his work. Thus, a line that was already blurry became even more muddled. Thiebaud’s work illustrates that art can be common and “mundane” and yet still make you feel things.
Biography
Early Life
Technically, Morton Wayne Thiebaud is from Arizona, but it’s hard to say that because he only lived there for the first six months of his life. Born on November 15th, 1920, Thiebaud and his family moved to Southern California while he was still an infant. Because SoCal was the beating heart of the entertainment industry, Thiebaud’s artistic talents and passions helped him throughout his life.
Thiebaud’s influences originated from the odd jobs he worked as a teenager. When he was 15, he designed posters for a local movie theatre. Around that time, he also worked at Mile High and Red Hot shop, which served ice cream and hot dogs. At 16, Thiebaud worked for Walt Disney studios as an in-betweener. This job meant he drew the frames between movements to help make the characters feel more alive. For this work, Thiebaud was paid around $14 per week.
Education
Education was another huge influence in Thiebaud’s art, both as a student and as a teacher. Before he made it big as an artist, Thiebaud used to teach at Sacramento State College (now CalState Sacramento). He was there from 1960 to 1991. So, it’s safe to say that teaching was as much of a part of his life as art.
As a teen, Thiebaud went to the Long Beach Polytechnical High School and the Frank Wiggins Trade School (now LA Trade-Technical College). He studied commercial art and hoped to become a professional cartoonist and illustrator.
As with everyone else in the 1940s, Thiebaud’s plans changed with World War II. Fortunately, his artistic talents prevented him from seeing combat, but he served with the Air Force from 1942 to 1945. He wound up in the First Air Force Motion Picture Unit, working with future president Ronald Reagan. Thiebaud also met his first wife, Patricia Patterson, during the war. The couple would have two children, Twinka and Mallary Ann.
Death
Wayne Thiebaud technically lived two entire lives simultaneously. On the one hand, he was a renowned artist who helped people understand the link between modern consumerism and artistic beauty. On the other hand, Thiebaud was a teacher and a family man, having been married twice and having three children overall.
Oddly enough, Thiebaud’s other life further enhanced his connection between the mundane and the artistic. While he had a “nine to five” job, Thiebaud’s art was almost like a side hobby, but one for which he was recognized internationally.
Thiebaud also lived a long life, dying at the age of 101. He died peacefully on Christmas Day of 2021 at his residence in Sacramento.
Pop Art Movement
Technically, Thiebaud’s paintings predated the Pop Art movement by a few years, and he never officially claimed to be a Pop artist. However, because his paintings depicted commercial items (like cakes, makeup, and more), they were lumped in with all the other Pop artworks.
What kickstarted his career was a sabbatical in New York from 1956 to 1957. There, he met contemporary artists like Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline. It was also during this time that he began experimenting with shapes, colors, and shadows.
His first real series was a set of paintings depicting pies, cakes, and other sweets as they might appear at a bakery. Thiebaud was drawn to their bright colors and commercial imagery and even had a show in San Francisco in 1960. At that time, no one paid attention, but once Pop Art became a thing in 1962, Thiebaud’s work drew acclaim and adoration.
In 1962, Thiebaud’s work was part of an exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum titled “New Painting of Common Objects.” There, his paintings were featured alongside works from Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. However, Thiebaud never liked Warhol’s work, calling his pieces “flat” and “mechanical.”
Despite the art world trying to put Thiebaud into the Pop Art box, he never officially claimed that he was part of that movement. Instead, Thiebaud was just a cartoonist at heart who wanted to show the colorful and artistic side of everyday life. Ironically, had his work existed outside of the Pop Art movement, his name may have faded into obscurity.
It also seems that Thiebaud rejected the Pop Art movement because he began to move into portraits and landscapes during the mid and late-60s. However, his style was still present, as he focused more on the shapes, colors, and shadows of his subjects than on bringing them to life. In a sense, Thiebaud kept his cartoonist ways, even though his artwork wouldn’t be considered “cartoonish.”
The Legacy of Wayne Thiebaud
Thiebaud never achieved the same level of notoriety as his fellow Pop Art contemporaries, but his work still left an indelible mark on the art community. His pieces illustrated the fact that art doesn’t have to be fancy or luxurious to be compelling and inspiring. Even something as simple as a stack of cakes can feed the senses, even though it’s something no one would take a second look at in real life.
What sets Thiebaud apart is how art was both his passion and his second life. Unlike other artists who pour themselves into their work, Thiebaud chose to take the safer route and still managed to make a name for himself. In another universe, Thiebaud would never have made it into the history books and would still have had a fulfilling life as a teacher, husband, and father. That’s the real legacy of Wayne Thiebaud — that you don’t have to dedicate your life to your craft to still be successful.
Famous Work of Wayne Thiebaud
Discussing an artist’s work is much different than seeing it up close and personal. Here are some of our favorite pieces by Mr. Thiebaud, and each one of these is available for auction.
If you were ever unconvinced that Thiebaud was ahead of his time, you need not look any further than this piece, simply titled, “Lunch.” Not only would this artwork be right at home on someone’s social media feed, but it even features a Millennial’s favorite food — avocado. Presumably, the towering cylinders next to his meal are soda cans (or something similar), but Thiebaud leaves it vague so as not to influence the viewer’s perception. One wonders if he painted this before eating or if the food went to waste.
Thiebaud had a relatively prolific period where he focused mostly on landscapes and portraits to avoid the specter of Pop Art looming over his shoulder. This sketch is an example of how color and shadows were integral to his work. This piece looks like an ominous image of a house towering over a small village or countryside. Like something out of a classic fable.
If you’re a pie lover, you know that “a la mode” means adding a dollop of ice cream. This piece would fit right at home on a restaurant’s wall as something to add atmosphere to the place. However, the deliberate brush strokes add some texture and personality to the image, so you know it’s not just a stock photo or something similar.
One of the great things about viewing works from an artist’s sketchbook is that they act as a window into the person’s mind. In this case, the images are obviously of a larger landscape that Thiebaud was working on. A lakeside house with colorful trees in the background is a compelling scene, and these sketches illustrate the life that Thiebaud breathed into his works, even the unfinished ones.
This landscape is probably one of the most dynamic and imposing pieces that Thiebaud did. The sloping hills give the scene an added sense of weight and circumstance. The cross-hatching is likely a holdover from his days as a cartoonist, but they work well as the underlayer that gives the painting extra depth. We fear falling off the steep ridge, but we’re also drawn to what must be a spectacular view.
As you may have noticed, Thiebaud had a thing for desserts. However, you can tell from pieces like this that it was unfair of critics and art enthusiasts to lump Thiebaud in with other Pop artists. While Warhol and Lichtenstein made their colors bolder and flatter, Thiebaud found the softness and vitality of his subjects. These desserts aren’t “in your face,” but rather just sitting, waiting to be eaten at one’s leisure.
If you are looking for artwork by Wayne Thiebaud, call us now at 267–687–8378 or leave an inquiry on Dane Fine Art. We are happy to help you find the artwork you are looking for. Explore more art and artists with Dane Fine Art.
Originally published at https://www.danefineart.com on October 21, 2022.