With the movie “Oppenheimer” drawing big crowds to see the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the development of the atomic bomb, it’s a good time to catch up with UC Davis alumnus Stephen Whisler (B.A., art, ‘76), who created many works connected to the bombs dropped on Japan.
When Wayne Thiebaud arrived at UC Davis in 1961, the university had been an independent campus for only two years. The art department was in an embryonic stage. Then in 1962, Thiebaud had a groundbreaking exhibition in New York and, during the decades that followed, his reputation only grew. Along the way he was joined by other art faculty who soon developed national reputations as well, and UC Davis became nearly as well-known for art as for agriculture.
Art professor emeritus Wayne Thiebaud's death at 101 on Dec. 25, 2021, brought an outpouring of memories and tributes, critical acclaim for the artist’s remarkable life and career, and news of a significant gift to UC Davis.
After more than 40 years of teaching and service at UC Davis, centenarian Wayne Thiebaud continues to create art and inspire others. His influence will be felt by many future generations thanks to a $500,000 endowment from the Wayne Thiebaud Foundation.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby, whose art negotiates the cultural terrain between her adopted home in the United States and her native Nigeria through collage and photo transfer-based paintings, will give the seventh annual UC Davis Betty Jean and Wayne Thiebaud Endowed Lecture on Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m. This year’s free online lecture celebrates art professor emeritus Wayne Thiebaud’s 100th birthday on Nov.
After a four-decade career as a caricature artist, Karen Calden Fulk (B.A., art, ’65) is creating caricature-type paintings and sculptures, including a recent ceramic work honoring UC Davis art professor emeritus Wayne Thiebaud.
David Salle, who became an art star in the 1980s and has also forged a career as an arts writer, will give the Betty Jean and Wayne Thiebaud Endowed Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 1, at UC Davis. “David Salle: How to See” is presented by the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Letters and Science.
