McTara Gallery - Whitaker - Portraiture and Realism

William Whitaker lives on the side of a mountain overlooking Provo, Utah. He specializes in portrait and figure painting using a traditional studio environment with northern light. From 1969 to 1981 he was on the faculty of Brigham Young University while maintaining an active membership in several art associations and galleries.

While no longer teaching, he is still heavily involved with the University. Whitaker was featured in the PBS Series, Profiles in American Art. He comments, "Drawing and painting have defined my life from the very beginning. I'm old enough now to be sobered by the fact and to realize that I probably will never be a lawyer, an accountant, a Rotarian or even a responsible adult."

Prints
We are proud to present affordable museum quality prints by William Whitaker. Each Limited Edition print is hand signed and numbered by the artist. Note: Very Limited Quantities Available. Click here to view.

Publications and Books

Perlman-Stearns, Architectural Design Collaborators, 1990

Grow, Modern Style, A Catalogue of Contemporary Design, MacMillan, 1986

Furman, Fine Homebuilding Magazine, "Architectural Stained Glass, June, 1984

New York Times, "On Stained Glass and its Home Use," March, 1983

Brolin, A Handbook of American Ornament, Van Nostrand-Reinhold, 1982

METROPOLIS, The Architecture and Design Magazine of New York, October, 1981

Wrigley, Design Sourcebook-Stained Glass, New Holland UK, 1998

Artisan's Series - Glass: An Inspirational Portfolio,

Watson-Guptil, 1999

Commissions and Collections

Robert F. Kennedy/Genesis Center, lobby art commission, New York City

Dept. of Cultural Affairs, percent for art, H.U.D. grant, 1997

St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Gibbsboro, NJ 1991

Eddygate Building, Ithaca, NY, 1987

Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, lobby mobile, Dyer, Indiana, 1986

Glassmasters Guild, corporate collection, NY, NY 1986

Baron Steuben Building, Corning, NY 1985

The Glass Menagerie, Corning, NY 1984

Lincoln First Bank, Corning, NY 1983

CHANGE IN PLACE
This painting was featured on the cover of 'ART Talk' magazine in Arizona.
The model for the painting is my wife's youngest daughter Kasha, who lived with us when we first married. It is not a real likeness, since I deliberately changed the face, but it is still definitely Kasha. Kasha is poised to leave home in the painting. Symbolic I guess. She's holding a lovely pottery pitcher which was the first thing her mother and I bought for our home together. We purchased it on a trip to Santa Fe the first summer of our marriage.

The painting is so soft, quiet and bright, like a new home without furniture. I like that! However, the design needed some balance. I tried other flowers, exhibited the painting, didn't like the flowers, rubbed them out and than painted these.

This little painting was done on a lovely little stained piece of wood - Just the tiniest hit of the wood still shows through in places.

Kasha now lives in Washington D. C. with her husband and baby. She and her Mama have large telephone bills.

YOUNG WOMAN - SOLD
I originally didn't set out to pay homage to one of our favorite painters, although I had in mind to wrap Heather's curly hair in some kind of turban. But when she looked over her shoulder at us in the quiet light of my studio, I knew I had the pose I wanted. I couldn't go so far as to add an earring though.
In January I hung the original on my studio wall to dry. Just before the end of the month I took it down to adjust a few minor details. One thing led to another and I ended up completely repainting the head and drapery. I can hardly tell what I did when I look at the picture on my monitor, but the actual painting seems to have more spirit now. I can ruin something when I fuss too long. I was lucky this time.