Otis William Oldfield | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1890-07-03)July 3, 1890 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 1969(1969-05-18) (aged 78) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Education | Best’s Art School, Académie Julian |
| Occupation(s) | painter, muralist, printmaker, educator |
| Spouse | Helen Clark (m. 1926–1969; death) |
Otis William Oldfield (July 3, 1890 – May 18, 1969)[1][2] was a San Francisco painter, printmaker and art educator.
Otis William Oldfield was born on July 3, 1890, inSacramento, California.[1][3] He attended Sutter High School but at age 16 he dropped out of school in order to work.[4]
In 1908, he attended Best’s Art School in San Francisco,[5][4][6] operated by Alice Leveque Best and Arthur William Best. In 1911, he moved to Paris to attendAcadémie Julian.[5] He remained in France until 1924, then moved back to San Francisco.[5][6]
In 1925, Oldfield had a successful solo show at San Francisco’s Galerie Beaux Arts, an exhibit of work made while he was living in France.[5] In 1929, Oldfield had two exhibitions of San Francisco water scenes at Montross Gallery in New York City.[5][7]
The following year in 1930, Oldfield worked with architectTimothy Pflueger to create painted windows for the bar at thePacific Coast Stock Exchange.[5] In 1934, he was one of 26 artists selected to paint murals in the newly erectedCoit Tower.[8] One of his frescos there is titledShipping Activities Inside the Golden Gate.[2]
Starting in 1925, he taught at California School of Fine Art (nowSan Francisco Art Institute) painting and drawing courses.[5] From 1946 until 1952 he taught at theCalifornia College of Arts and Crafts (now called California College of the Arts, or CCA).[9]
Oldfield's students includedYun Gee,[10]Richard Diebenkorn,[5] andNathan Oliveira.[5] In addition to teaching Yun Gee, Otis Oldfield and Yun Gee were also good friends.[11][12]
Oldfield died on May 18, 1969, inSan Francisco, California.[2] He was survived by his wifeHelen Clark Oldfield [Wikidata], who continued to paint until her death in 1981.
His work is in public museum collections include atFine Arts Museums of San Francisco,[5]Los Angeles County Museum of Art,[13]Crocker Art Museum,[14]National Gallery of Art,[15]Smithsonian American Art Museum,[16]Metropolitan Museum of Art,[17]
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