OKLAHOMA CITY — Mike Wimmer, an acclaimed artist whose canvases regularly grace the walls of the Oklahoma Capitol, is leaving the state to teach.
Wimmer, a native of Muskogee who lives in the Oklahoma City area, recently told Facebook friends he has accepted a job at the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCAD, as it’s known, is one of the premier art academies in the world with two campuses in the state of Georgia, plus sites in Hong Kong and the south of France.
For years, Wimmer has been commissioned to paint portraits and historical scenes for inclusion in the Capitol art collection. More than 20 of his pieces have hung in the Capitol but, along with other artwork, have been warehoused during restoration of the century-old building.
His first piece put on display at the Capitol was a portrait of Wiley Post, the pilot and friend of Will Rogers whose achievements made aviation history. Wimmer has also painted large scenes depicting President Teddy Roosevelt signing Oklahoma’s statehood proclamation and the transfer of the Louisiana Purchase to American hands.
