Arthur Okamura
Encyclopedia
Arthur Okamura was an American artist, working in screen printing, drawing and painting. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area
, and was Professor Emeritus at the California College of the Arts
in San Francisco, California
. His work is in the permanent collections at the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C.
, the Whitney Museum in New York, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
. He is associated with the San Francisco Renaissance
. He illustrated numerous works of literature and poetry, published a book on games and toys for children, and created illustrations for the TV movie The People.
, on February 24, 1932. While a child, his family was relocated to Granada War Relocation Center
set up in the United States during World War II for the forcible relocation of residents of Japanese ancestry. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago
from 1950–54, Yale School of Art
in 1954, and the University of Chicago
in 1951, 1953 and 1957. He moved to California after his university studies, living in San Francisco, then Bolinas. He taught at the California College of the Arts (formerly the California College of Arts and Crafts) for over 30 years, retiring in 1997. He died July 10, 2009 in Bolinas.
) (1959), the California Palace of the Legion of Honor (1962), and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
(1968). In addition to being in the aforementioned permanent collections, his work is in the collections of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
(San Francisco, CA), the Oakland Art Museum, the Stanford University
Collection, and the California College of the Arts. He has had numerous solo and group or joint exhibits over the last 50 years. Catalogs of his exhibits have been published. He is exhibited by the Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco.
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, and was Professor Emeritus at the California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts , founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. His work is in the permanent collections at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Whitney Museum in New York, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
. He is associated with the San Francisco Renaissance
San Francisco Renaissance
The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range of poetic activity centered on San Francisco and which brought it to prominence as a hub of the American poetic avant-garde. However, others The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range...
. He illustrated numerous works of literature and poetry, published a book on games and toys for children, and created illustrations for the TV movie The People.
Biography
He was born in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, on February 24, 1932. While a child, his family was relocated to Granada War Relocation Center
Granada War Relocation Center
The Granada War Relocation Center was a Japanese American internment camp located in southeast Colorado about a mile west of the small farming community of Granada, south of US 50....
set up in the United States during World War II for the forcible relocation of residents of Japanese ancestry. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
from 1950–54, Yale School of Art
Yale School of Art
The Yale School of Art is one of twelve constituent schools of Yale University. It is a professional art school, granting only Masters of Fine Arts degrees to those completing studies in graphic design, painting/printmaking, photography, or sculpture....
in 1954, and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1951, 1953 and 1957. He moved to California after his university studies, living in San Francisco, then Bolinas. He taught at the California College of the Arts (formerly the California College of Arts and Crafts) for over 30 years, retiring in 1997. He died July 10, 2009 in Bolinas.
Exhibitions
His first solo exhibition was in 1953, at the Frank Ryan Gallery, in Chicago. He has had exhibits at the Oakland Museum of Art (now the Oakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland Museum of California
Oakland Museum of California or Oakland Museum is a museum dedicated to the art, history, and natural science of California located in Oakland, California....
) (1959), the California Palace of the Legion of Honor (1962), and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
(1968). In addition to being in the aforementioned permanent collections, his work is in the collections of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
California Palace of the Legion of Honor
The California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a fine art museum in San Francisco, California...
(San Francisco, CA), the Oakland Art Museum, the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Collection, and the California College of the Arts. He has had numerous solo and group or joint exhibits over the last 50 years. Catalogs of his exhibits have been published. He is exhibited by the Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco.
Awards
- 1951 Neysa McMein Purchase Award, Whitney Museum of Art
- 1957 Marin Cahn Award, Art Institute of Chicago
- 1960 Schwagacher-Frey Award, San Francisco Museum of Art
- 1976 Purchase Prize, San Francisco Arts CommissionSan Francisco Arts CommissionThe San Francisco Arts Commission is the official San Francisco County, USA arts council.The San Francisco Arts Commission It was established in 1932 and runs under the California state arts council, the California Arts Council . The commission is appointed by the major...