To celebrate the 100th birthday of Sacramento’s most renowned artist, the Crocker Art Museum presented Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints, and Drawings, which was on view for only a short time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, following its national tour and the passing of the iconic artist in December of 2021, the exhibition is returning to the Crocker as Wayne Thiebaud: A Celebration.

Best known for his tantalizing paintings of cakes and pies, Thiebaud (1920–2021) has long been affiliated with Pop art, though his body of work is far more expansive. This exhibition represents the artist’s achievements in all media, with pieces drawn from the Crocker’s holdings and from the collection of the Thiebaud family and Foundation—many of which, until this show, have never been shown publicly. For the Crocker, the exhibition continues a tradition of hosting a Thiebaud exhibition each decade, beginning with the artist’s first solo show in 1951, Influences on a Young Painter. Today, we celebrate the life and career of an artist whose work is beloved not only in Sacramento, but internationally.