SACRAMENTO, Calif — California painter Wayne Thiebaud died on Saturday at 101 years old in his Sacramento home.
His gallery, Acquavella, confirmed the artist's passing with a post on Instagram.
"An American icon, Wayne led his life with passion and determination, inspired by his love for teaching, tennis, and above all, making art," Acquavella Galleries wrote in the post. "Even at 101 years old, he still spent most days in the studio, driven by, as he described with his characteristic humility, 'this almost neurotic fixation of trying to learn to paint.'”
Thiebaud is known for using bright colors and painting everyday objects, such as pies, cakes and gumballs.
"Rather than painting from life, Thiebaud represented these objects from memory, drawing from nostalgic recollections of bakeries and diners from his youth and contemporary commercial imagery," according to Acquavella Galleries.
Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum celebrated his 100th birthday last year with an exhibition of his painting, prints and drawings. The exhibition was open from Oct. 16, 2020 through Jan. 3, 2021.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted about Thiebaud's passing.
"Wayne Thiebaud was not only a brilliant artist but a wonderful man who remained devoted to Sacramento and its surrounding landscapes despite the pull of fame and fortune," Steinberg wrote. "His was a life well-lived. We will miss him."
View a slideshow of his various works at Acquavella's website.
