Posted April 14, 1999

Betsey Straub Wiesenfeld.

The late Betsey Straub Wiesenfeld was a teacher, mother, humanitarian and mentor. But first and foremost, she was an artist.

A retrospective of her paintings from the collections of her sons Buzz and Stephen Wiesenfeld will be exhibited at the Worth Ryder Gallery April 20 through April 30. An opening reception will be held Tuesday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. in 116 Kroeber Hall.

Straub Wiesenfeld, who died in 1997, grew up on the edge of Strawberry Canyon overlooking Memorial Stadium. She received both her BA and MA from Berkeley's art department in the 1930s and dedicated her life to creating art and teaching others to appreciate the world's beauty.

"Her color is generous and the line quality is very descriptive," said Kevin Radley, director of the Worth Ryder Gallery. "The work is well executed and quite modern for her time."

Using oil, watercolor, gouache, printmaking and collage, Straub Wiesenfeld depicts a variety of subjects in her work, including landscapes, figure studies and domestic scenes.

The exhibit honors the receipt of an endowment from the Wiesenfeld family. The support will allow the art department to invite distinguished contemporary artists from around the world to Berkeley for master classes, lectures and exhibits.

Gallery hours are 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For information, call 642-2582.

April 14 - 20 (Volume 27, Number 30)
Copyright 1999, The Regents of the University of California.
Produced and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley.
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