Wayman Elbridge Adams

Place: Muncie

Born: 1883

Death: 1959

Biography:

Wayman Elbridge Adams was an American painter born in Muncie, Indiana in 1883. He is best known for his portraits of famous people, earning him the nickname 'Lightning' for his high-speed painting skills. Adams studied at the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, and later with William Merritt Chase in Italy and Robert Henri in Spain.

Early Life and Education

Adams' artistic leanings were encouraged by his father, who was an amateur artist himself. He enrolled Adams in the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, where he developed his skills as a painter. Later, he continued his studies under the guidance of William Merritt Chase in Italy and Robert Henri in Spain.

Artistic Style and Career

Adams' mature style featured simplified composition, heavy brushstrokes, and patches of vivid color. He became known as a specialist in portraits, and his subjects included four U.S. presidents - Calvin Coolidge, Warren Harding, William Henry Harrison, and Herbert Hoover. His first important recognition as an artist came in 1918 when he won a Logan prize for his portrait of printmaker Joseph Pennell. Adams also turned out regional figure studies and street scenes in various media, including painting, drawing, and printmaking. One series focuses on the residents of San Francisco's Chinatown, and another on the residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he traveled frequently beginning in 1916.

Awards and Recognition

Adams received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including:

• National Academy of Design — Proctor prize for portraiture (1914)
• Mr and Mrs Frank G. Logan Prize (1918)
• International Expo, Venice, Italy (1924)
• Greenough Memorial Prize (1925)
• Sesquicentennial Exposition Medal (1926)
• National Academy of Design - first Altman Prize (1926)
• Carnegie Institute Prize (1943)

Adams' work is in the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art and other institutions. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics. For more information on Wayman Elbridge Adams, visit https://Wikioo.org/@/Wayman-Elbridge-Adams or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayman_Elbridge_Adams. You can also explore his artwork on https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/O/93PVEC and learn more about the art movements that influenced his style on https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/Timeline.