Delmer J. Yoakum

Delmer J. Yoakum (December 6, 1915 – October 25, 1996) was an American fine artist, oil and watercolor painter, designer, serigrapher, Disneyland and Hollywood motion picture studio scenic artist.

Early life

Del Yoakum was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Throughout his childhood, he was surrounded by artists. His mother was a painter. After dismissing his hope of studying music, painting became his passion. As a boy in the late 1930s, he received a scholarship for four consecutive years to study each summer with Thomas Hart Benton at Kansas City Art Institute. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he came to Los Angeles and studied with Henry Lee McFee, Phil Dike, and Rico Lebrun; and at Chouinard Art Institute, Jepson Art Institute, and the University of Southern California's Roski School of Fine Arts.

Professional life

Del Yoakum (left) working with another artist to paint the dioramic Grand Canyon scene and Primeval World at Disneyland, 1955

Yoakum's occupation was that of a Painter - Designer - Motion Picture Artist in Hollywood, California from 1952-1972. Over 21 years, he worked for Paramount, 20th Century Fox, and MGM; and did special assignments for Walt Disney Studios. All this time he also did his own fine art painting in his own studio. Among his many accomplishments during his long career, he painted the Grand Canyon and Primeval World Diorama scenery (viewable from the train of Disneyland Railroad), portions of Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World and the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in California.

He also painted scenery for movies such as The Shoes of the Fisherman for which he recreated the panel about the life of Moses, and parts of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo, for the interior of the Sistine Chapel (MGM Studios). He created the city of Jerusalem for The Robe (which won the 1953 Academy Award for Best Art Direction–Set Decoration, Color), after which he created a fantastic 600 foot cyclorama that backed the safari camp set of The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Other films he created dioramic scenes for included Billy Wilder's Some Like it Hot (nominated for the 1959 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White Academy Award), The King and I, Niagara, Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (the Mount Rushmore scene) and many others. During his term at 20th Century Fox, he also worked on many of the Marilyn Monroe pictures, and even one of the Elvis movies.

Yoakum's work has been exhibited in over 50 galleries, associations, museums, festivals, schools, colleges, fairs and art shows. He also contributed paintings to a number of invitational group shows including two in Mexico. He received over 30 awards and his paintings also received national recognition in art publications, including a number of art books and several art magazines over the years.

Personal life

Del was married to his wife Barbara Yoakum for over 50 years. He had three children; Robert, Bob and Cathleen. He lived in Sedona, Arizona for more than 25 years. He was a lifelong Democrat and a committed Christian, who even painted Christ's Crucifixion (which hangs in England's Coventry Cathedral) and Resurrection (which is in the permanent collection of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Sedona).

Publications

Memberships

Awards

Del (left) with his painting "Sunset Express" at an art show in the city of Avalon where he won "Best of Show" in 1967

(WC = Water Color)

Permanent collections

Exhibited

Quotations

“ Painting became my life. If I had to do it all over again, I'd do the same thing, but I'd be better at it. ”
“ I paint for myself. I hope people like what I do, and if it can give them some happiness and enjoyment, I feel it's all been worthwhile. ”

Regarding Del Yoakum:

“ [Del Yoakum] seeks to express the spiritual qualities which link the personal with the universal. ”

(Les Krantz, American Artists)

“ It is not difficult to convince anyone that [Del Yoakum's] work will meet the test of time. ”

(Isabel McCord Stroud, Sedona Heritage: Arizona Artists)

“ [The Disneyland Railroad Grand Canyon Diorama] was painted under the supervision of seasoned Hollywood scenic painter, Delmer Yoakum. Del and his artists used over 300 gallons of paint in 14 colors to complete the realistic depiction of a day in the life of the Grand Canyon. Del was an inspired choice for this job, he was famous for his paintings of desert landscapes. ”

(Lucas O. Seastrom, Welcome to the Disneyland Railroad Grand Canyon Diorama Tribute!!)

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