Lovely depiction of a mother reading to her daughter and baby in a bright outdoor setting, oil on masonite, dated and signed lower left: '85 Thornton Utz.. Born in Memphis, Thornton Robyn Utz began drawing and illustration at an early age without any professional training. Later, Utz studied at the American Academy of Arts in Chicago and taught at the Art Institute of Chicago. After teaching, he spent several years as a commercial artist and illustrator. His assignments were seen in most leading American magazines and in many European ones as well. His illustration credits also include 50 commissions for Saturday Evening Post. Eventually, Utz dedicated himself full time to working in the fine arts, which for him included portraiture and sculpture. Utz was a leading contemporary painter of nudes and portraits, he preserved this tradition with spontaneity and joy. In addition to classic figure painting, he tackled the areas of portraiture, sculpture, stained glass and architecture as well. Utz saw the nude, however, as an endless challenge. His paintings, reminiscent of Degas' coloration and Renoir's brushwork, are proof of his artistic triumphs. International fame came with portraits of Princess Grace of Monaco, President Jimmy Carter. He also painted such luminaries as the Brazilian ambassador. Thornton and his family lived in a home he designed and built on Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida. Overall size: 32 x 42 in. Sight size: 29 1/2 x 39 1/2 in.