Born on November 15, 1920, in Mesa, Arizona, Thiebaud was an American painter renowned for his vibrant and delectable depictions of everyday objects, most notably his iconic paintings of cakes, pies, and other confections. While his work enjoys a broad appeal and evokes a distinctly American nostalgia, Thiebaud’s complex depictions of light and shadow give depth and strangeness to his deceptively simple compositions. His canvases share affinities with both early Pop art and a longer tradition of still-life painting.

Upon completing his education, Thiebaud embarked on a diverse career in the arts. He served as an art professor at both UC Davis and Sacramento City College. Thiebaud's teaching career proved instrumental in shaping his artistic perspective, influencing a generation of artists and fostering a commitment to artistic expression rooted in everyday life. In the 1950s, Thiebaud's work began gaining attention in the art world. His early paintings, characterized by their emphasis on the materiality of paint and masterful use of color, hinted at the distinctive style that would define his oeuvre. A year in New York City in 1956, in which he befriended Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Robert Rauschenberg, pushed him to explore new styles and come to the realization that he was not interested in the kind of Abstract Expressionist work that then dominated Manhattan. Wayne Thiebaud's career continued to flourish throughout the latter half of the 20th century and beyond. His paintings captured the essence of American culture and resonated with viewers worldwide. Thiebaud's influence extended beyond the art world, earning him critical acclaim and numerous awards. At auction, Thiebaud’s paintings regularly sell for millions, and his work has been acquired for the collections of nearly every American museum of note.

Beyond his artistic achievements, Wayne Thiebaud championed arts education through concrete action and sustained advocacy. Thiebaud taught and mentored notable artists including Fritz Scholder, Mel Ramos, Faith Bromberg, Vonn Cummings Sumner, and Christopher Brown. His commitment to arts education earned him recognition as Distinguished Art Studio Teacher of the Year by the College Art Association of America in 1981, along with numerous awards for teaching and mentorship that impacted generations of younger artists across the nation. He testified before California state legislators about funding cuts to art programs and argued at education conferences that drawing and painting develop spatial reasoning skills crucial for fields ranging from architecture to medical imaging.

Thiebaud supported community art centers in Sacramento and the Bay Area, funding workshops for underserved youth, and collaborated with institutions like the Crocker Art Museum on traveling exhibitions that brought art to rural California schools, where he personally visited classrooms to demonstrate painting techniques. His lasting impact on UC Davis is evident in the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, which houses significant works from his collection and continues a mission of making art accessible to all.

Living to 101 years old, Wayne Thiebaud passed away on December 25, 2021, leaving behind not only a transformative body of work that redefined American still-life painting, but also a concrete educational legacy through the countless artists he mentored and the institutions that continue to benefit from his advocacy for the arts.