Wayne Thiebaud Summer Days

Organized with the Wayne Thiebaud Foundation, this exhibition catalogue presents the work of the beloved West Coast painter on the theme of the American summer.

This book tracks the career of the artist over six decades, revealing his retained interest in lighthearted subjects while casting them in traditional modes of painting. It celebrates the artist’s regard for the delights of the quintessentially American summer experience, from its sweet ice creams and chilled soda pops to beach games and barbecues, melting a gray winter into a fading memory. The catalogue features paintings from the 1960s through the 2000s of beach scenes, hot dogs, ice creams, beach balls, and bathing suits.

Most of the works come directly from the foundation and are rarely seen in public. More than 60 paintings show the artist’s versatility, dazzling technique, and rich use of color, as well as a sense of playfulness—a longing for a sweeter and more nostalgic time.

Steven A. Nash is former president of the board of directors of the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation and former director of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Mary Okin is a professor in the women’s studies department at the University of Maine.