Creator Record
Metadata
Name |
William Whitaker |
Dates & places of birth and death |
1943-2018 |
Occupation |
Artist |
Notes |
William Whitaker was born in Chicago in 1943, the son of painter Ferrin Whitaker. At the age of four, William could draw pictures with accurate perspective and by age six he began painting with watercolor and oils. At an early age, his family moved from Chicago to La Jolla, California. His father tried to dissuade him from taking up a career in art, believing it could only lead to a life of hardship. He obtained his education at the University of Utah, where he studied under Alvin Gittins, as well as briefly attending the Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles. For 12 years, Whitaker worked as a professor of graphic design at Brigham Young University before becoming a full-time artist. He eventually established a private studio in Utah with his wife, watercolorist Sandra J. Whitaker. Whitaker passed away on March 6, 2018. Likened by some to the likes of Rembrandt and Rubens, Whitaker’s style of painting was almost exclusively classical-realist. He often included only one subject in each of his paintings, hoping to exemplify their individual spirit and emotions without the distractions of a pictorial narrative. He received numerous accolades throughout the course of his career, including being designated a living master by the Arts Renewal Center and AOA Master by Artists of America (AOA). His portrait of long-time friend Wilson Hurley was donated to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame by Hurley in 2001. |
