Richard Wyatt Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Wyatt Jr.
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Wyatt Jr. in 1989
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| Born | 1955 (age 69–70) Lynwood, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Chouinard Art Institute, UCLA (BFA) |
| Known for | Drawing, Painting, Murals |
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Notable work
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Hollywood Jazz: 1945–1972 mural (1990, 2012) |
Richard Wyatt Jr. (born in 1955) is a famous artist who creates large paintings called murals. He is well-known for his public art in and around Los Angeles, California. You can see his amazing murals in many places, like the Watts Towers, the Capitol Records Building, and the Union Station. His art helps tell stories and brighten up public spaces.
Early Life and Art Training
Richard Wyatt Jr. was born in Lynwood, California. He grew up in Compton before moving to the Crenshaw District in South Los Angeles. He finished high school at Fairfax High School.
Wyatt started his art education early. From 1966 to 1968, he went to the Chouinard Art Institute. He also joined a special art program for young people at the Otis Art Institute on Saturdays. At Otis, he met and learned from a very important artist named Charles White. White's work had a big impact on Wyatt. He also studied with John Riddle, who helped him get better at his art skills. Riddle encouraged Wyatt to use his art to talk about important social topics.
In 1978, Wyatt earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree from the UCLA. By this time, he had already made connections with other artists in Los Angeles who were also creating murals.
Richard Wyatt Jr.'s Art Career
Richard Wyatt Jr. showed he was a talented artist from a young age. When he was just twelve, he won $200 at the first Watts Chalk-In. This was a sidewalk art contest put on by the Studio Watts Workshop. At thirteen, he had his art shown in an exhibition at the Los Angeles Bahá’í Center. He showed his work alongside John Outterbridge, who became a helpful guide and supporter for him.
Other important people who helped him early in his career included Cecil Fergerson and Claude Booker. He met them through the Watts Summer Festival. When Wyatt was seventeen, his art was chosen for a big exhibition. It was the "Panorama of Black Artists" show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1972. This show helped him become widely known and started his career as an important artist in the African American art community in Los Angeles.
Wyatt has also worked as a teacher. He helped John Outterbridge at the Watts Tower Arts Center from 1974 to 1978. He also taught part-time at the University of California, Irvine and at the Otis Art Institute. Since 1989, he has been able to spend all his time creating his amazing art.
