Born in Seattle and raised there and in Japan, George Tsutakawa (1910-1997) was an internationally recognized painter and sculptor best known for his avant-garde fountain designs. Over the course of his career, he created more than 70 fountains for public places around the world. Tsutakawa studied sculpture at the University of Washington, and served in the US Army during World War II. He taught in the art and architecture departments at the University of Washington for 34 years, retiring in 1976.
In this image, Tsutakawa poses with his cedar sculpture "Family Group." The sculpture won Tsutakawa a $100 prize during Art Week, a festival sponsored by the Seattle chapter of the Artists' Equity Association, in which department stores on Pine Street displayed local art in their windows.
Caption information source: The Seattle Daily Times) - October 14, 1954, page 52 Caption information source: "Tsutakawa, George (1910-1997): Master of Fountains," by Deloris Tarzan Ament, HistoryLink.org Essay 5426
ID Number: 2000.107.214.28.01
Date: 1954
Physical Description: 1 photographic print : b&w ; 7.75 x 9.5 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant.
