William Whitaker - Reclined Nude With Red Roses - Oil Painting

Details

Description

William Whitaker - Reclined Nude with Red Roses - Oil painting
American Realist Oil painting on canvas - signed
Canvas … Read more William Whitaker - Reclined Nude with Red Roses - Oil painting
American Realist Oil painting on canvas - signed
Canvas size: 16x22 - Gold leaf frame: 26x32x3"

Artist Biography
William Whitaker Jr. (1943 - 2018) was active/lived in Utah. He is known for Female figure and portrait painting.
William Whitaker is an artist who has been at the forefront of painting's representational revival during recent years. The Chicago-born master of classical realism has produced a body of work widely recognized for its unmistakable technique and focus.Whitaker's father was himself an artist, and from him Whitaker inherited the basics of his craft. He learned the importance of figure drawing, the science of mixing paint and the fundamentals of composition. This firm grounding in academic knowledge and skills eventually led to Whitaker's appointment on the faculty of Brigham Young University, where for twelve years he has impressed upon his students the importance of establishing a solid foundation in technique before attempting a personal painting style.Three things characterize and indeed are hallmarks of Whitaker's mature work. First is his interest in the mystery and sensitivity of female subjects. He finds the difficulty of rendering the softness of the female form in an art piece a source of inexhaustible challenge. The female face, preeminent in his work, especially holds the artist's imagination.Second, Whitaker acknowledges that he paints ideal forms. Working from models, sketches or photographs, he consciously produces images which summarize a kind of universal beauty rather than producing portraits of individuals. This coupling of idealism with realism accounts for the extremely wide appeal which his work has enjoyed.Finally, Whitaker's classical training is nowhere more evident than in his highly effective depiction of drapery. He executes fabric expertly in paint and uses cloth as a means of unifying his composition. His focus on drapery rather than on clothing contributes greatly to the classical appearance of his work. All three of these characteristics lead to what Whitaker describes as a "tension between the real and the illusion, between a formal structural approach and a certain amount of abandon."William Whitaker has received gold and silver medals from the National Academy of Western Art and is featured in numerous collections. He lives in Provo, Utah, and remains on the faculty of Brigham Young University.
William Ferrin Whitaker, Jr., beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and mentor, fine artist and teacher, passed away Tuesday, March 6, 2018 from complications following open heart surgery.Born 5 March 1943, in Chicago, IL, to William Ferrin & Martha Elizabeth Bassett Whitaker.
William served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central German Mission from 1962 to 1964. He graduated from the University of Utah, where he studied with world-renowned portrait artist, Alvin Gittins.In 1965 he married Jenny M. Lind and lived in Los Angeles where he was art director for Capitol Records until he was recruited to create the now prestigious Illustration Department at Brigham Young University. He retired to paint in his private studio. He and Jenny are the parents of Matthew Arthur (Carol) and Caitlin Marie (Randy Lewis). He and Jenny were later divorced.On July 27, 1993, William married Sandra Jane Phillips, an artist and teacher. Together they have enjoyed 25 years of love and adventure. See less