CategoryOn the Cover

Born in Philadelphia in 1892, Edward Stuart Davis was introduced to the art world at an early age. His mother worked as a professional sculptor, while his father was the art editor for a newspaper. Raised in an environment that actively encouraged creative expression, Davis developed a passion for the visual arts during his childhood.

William Wendt (1865–1946) was an American painter who became one of Southern California’s leading landscape artists. Born in Germany, he immigrated to Chicago in 1880. Largely self-taught, Wendt briefly studied at the Art Institute of Chicago before eventually making California the focus of his life and art. After marrying sculptor Julia Bracken in 1906, Wendt

Morton Livingston Schamberg (1881–1918) was a modernist painter and photographer from Philadelphia. Schamberg became known for his role in precisionism, an art movement celebrating America’s rapidly emerging industrial landscape.  Schamberg studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1903. He met William Merritt Chase who helped spark his love for art. He later

A quilt stitched by hand. A rug filled with colorful flowers. Through her detailed artwork, Ruth M. Barnes captured the beauty of everyday American folk traditions and preserved them as art. Her work was created in connection with the Index of American Design. Barnes was born in 1880 in Pennsylvania. She created watercolor, gouache, pen-and-ink

From delicate roses to tranquil landscapes, Patty Prather Thum captured the quiet beauty of nature while helping pave the way for women artists at the turn of the 20th century. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1853, Thum discovered her artistic talent early in life. Her mother gave Thum her first drawing lessons, sparking her interest

In 1980, muralist Josef Kristofoletti was born in Oradea, Romania. He later moved to North America to pursue higher education in the arts and now lives in Austin, Texas. Kristofoletti’s passion for creating art on a grand scale comes from his belief in openness and accessibility. He values public art because it allows everyone to

Granville Redmond (1871–1935) found inspiration in the simple beauty of the California landscape. His paintings of rolling hills, towering eucalyptus trees and fields of brilliant wildflowers invite viewers to slow down and appreciate the quiet moments found in nature. More than a century later, his work continues to resonate for its warmth, optimism and unmistakable

Florine Stettheimer (1871–1944) was an American modernist painter, poet and designer whose vivid, highly stylized works captured the glamour, wit and theatricality of early 20th-century New York. Born in Rochester, New York, and later based in New York City, she developed a singular visual language marked by radiant color, delicate line and stagelike compositions that

The painting on this issue’s cover, Rocky Mountain Landscape (1870), by Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902), captures the majesty and grandeur of one of America’s most iconic natural wonders. Celebrated for his majestic landscapes of the American West, Bierstadt traveled extensively through the Rocky Mountains during the 19th century, creating luminous landscapes that conveyed both the beauty

Hug. Love. Amor. Robert Indiana (1928–2018) transformed these letters and words into bold visual compositions. Through his distinctive style, he turned ordinary language into powerful visual statements.  Robert Indiana was born Robert Clark in New Castle, Indiana. He was adopted as an infant and, throughout his childhood, his family moved throughout the Midwest. After graduating

The Soka University of America (SUA) community is mourning the passing of Junichi Miura—an accomplished painter, children’s book author and devoted supporter of SUA who died March 9 in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Since 2011, Miura has sent the SUA community a gift every spring: a new painting celebrating that year’s graduating class. His detailed

Pilar Pobil (1926–2024) built a life defined by expression—both on canvas and in the way she connected with others. Born in Mallorca, Spain, she moved to the United States in 1956, later settling in Salt Lake City, where her artistic journey would unfold. Although she began painting in her 40s, Pobil approached art with a

Arthur Garfield Dove (1880–1946) was an American painter and a pioneering figure in early modernism, widely regarded as one of the first artists in the United States to embrace a fully abstract style. Born in Canandaigua, New York, and raised in Geneva, Dove initially pursued illustration, studying at Cornell University before moving to New York

Hilary Pecis is a contemporary American artist known for her vibrant and saturated paintings that transform ordinary scenes into rich details and joyful compositions. Born in California in 1979, Pecis grew up in an environment that encouraged creativity. From an early age, she developed an interest in art, inspired by visual elements she encountered while

Merging the line between fine art and everyday objects, Jasper Johns (1930–) became a pivotal figure in the development of Pop Art. Johns was born in Georgia and raised in South Carolina. From an early age, he showed a strong interest in art, which later became his passion and career. He briefly studied art at

David Hockney (1937 –) was born in England and later moved between the U.K. and the United States before settling in California at age 41. He lived in Malibu and the Hollywood Hills, becoming deeply inspired by the light and colors of Los Angeles. The brightness and atmosphere of the city strongly influenced his artistic

High in the skyline of Philadelphia stands a towering statue of William Penn, watching over the city he helped shape. The sculpture placed on top of Philadelphia City Hall, is one of its most recognizable landmarks. Alexander Milne Calder (1846–1923) created this famous monument and many other sculptures that decorate Philadelphia City Hall. Born in

Waking up early in the morning to sketch gardens in delicate sunlight, and later turning these quiet moments into radiant color, Frederick Childe Hassam developed a lifelong fascination with light that would shape his art. Born in Boston in 1859, Hassam grew into one of the leading figures of American Impressionism through his atmospheric scenes.

Through the eyes of Tom Christopher, New York City is not simply a place—it is a living, cinematic force. Born in Hollywood and trained as a classical draftsman at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Christopher studied under legendary Disney animator Ward Kimball and painter Lorser Feitelson before forging a career that ranged from

West to Life Born in Fresno, California, Maynard Dixon (1875–1946)—often called “The Last Cowboy in San Francisco”—was an American painter known for his depictions of the western United States. The nickname reflects the way Dixon carried the spirit of the West with cowboys, deserts and vast landscapes into a time when the Old West was