Millard Sheets Exhibit at Pasadena Museum of California Art

On February 14, 2010, the exhibit “Millard Sheets: The Early Years (1926 – 1944) opened at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. Curator Gordon McClelland has organized the first cohesive survey of the first two decades of this early California painter’s career.


Emma Jacobson-Sive, Pasadena Museum of California Art Director of Public Relations, noted “It is often a challenge to narrow down works of a prolific and important artist, but the emphasis on the time period--the earlier part of Sheets’ career--certainly helped focus the exhibition. The works selected capture the changes and evolution of the artist’s style and by including some of his successful students’ work, they also capture his influence too.”


Millard Sheets was born in Pomona, California, in 1907. He attended the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles, studying with Clarence Hinkle. Following a painting trip through Europe, Sheets returned to Los Angeles to teach at Chouinard. He is best remembered for his depression-era regionalist works known as the “California Scene Paintings.” Sheets spent 20 years teaching at Scripps College, and 6 years as the director of the Otis Institute before retiring to Mendocino County in 1960.

Millard Sheets

“The Capitol Building” was a part of a larges series Millard Sheets completed in the 1950’s and early 60’s as a commission to promote areas serviced by United Airlines. The images were reproduced in a series of United Airline calendars to promote the wonder of travel.

Sheets, well known for his individual paintings, is also known for the artworks featured in the interiors and exteriors of dozens of buildings in Los Angeles County. He also drew, 1n 1957, the Los Angeles County Seal

To view available paintings by Millard Sheets, visit William A. Karges Fine Art at Dolores and Sixth Ave. in Carmel, CA, call (800) 833-9185 or visit www.kargesfineart.com