Lemon Meringue Pie 1964

Wayne Thiebaud made this pastel drawing, “Lemon Meringue Pie,” with what looks like confident, yet soft, marks. The color here is so specific, it's like he’s not just showing us a pie, but a particular memory of a pie. The way he lays down that thick, almost vibrating shadow of deep blues and purples around the plate – it's so luscious you can almost taste it. I love the way the bright yellow filling contrasts with the cool white meringue. It’s a slice of joy, isn’t it? Thiebaud is often compared to artists like Edward Hopper because of the similar subject matter and use of color. But in Thiebaud’s work, I see something more playful, less about loneliness and more about savoring the simple pleasures of life. Art, like a good pie, is about finding sweetness in unexpected places, and Thiebaud serves it up with a generous hand.