Andrew Newell Wyeth (12 July, 1917 – 16 January, 2009), commonly known as Andrew Wyeth, was an American visual artist. He majored in realism art, with his artwork mainly capturing the American society. The subjects of his works were mainly his surroundings and the people he interacted with. As such, Andrew’s paintings were basically centered on Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania and Cushing, Maine, his hometown and summer home respectively. The quality and depth of his artworks propelled him to become one of the most celebrated artists during his prime. His 1948 art oil painting, Christina's World, which he created at the age of 31, is one of his most famed art pieces, winning a place at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City. Andrew had his career cut out for him. He was the son of an illustrator and artist who was keen on nurturing his children's talents. They had a close knit family relationship, something that made it easier for them to support one another and grow in their disciplines.
Andrew didn't have a stable health at a tender age, so he was tutored at home. That gave him an opportunity to have great time with his father who also helped him nurture his painting talent. As a result, Andrew started painting while at a very young age. His father introduced him to his art studio and made him appreciate the rural landscapes and the things around him. He also taught Andrew a lot of things that made it possible for him to fully understand watercolor and figure study. Besides having his father’s influence, Andrew was also inspired by King Vidor's The Big Parade film. He later acknowledged that the film indeed influenced some of his works. Andrew was to later learn egg tempera from his brother in law. He also studied a lot on art history, getting a lot of motivation from Winslow Homer. At the age of 20, one of his watercolors artwork had found its way to Macbeth Gallery in New York. The artwork was fully sold out. Andrew’s paintings don’t exhibit too many colors, deviating from his father's style. He said in Life Magazine in 1965 that his style is abstractionist and not realist as has been described by many. In 1963, he became the first painter to win the Presidential Freedom Award, which was conferred on him by President John F. Kennedy.
