Self-Portrait Guillermo Wagner Granizo
Facing three rectangular columns or “stelae” in Civics Park commissioned by Pleasanton for the “Pleasanton Centennial” in 1994, the artist’s Self Portrait in bright colored tiles whispers encouragement to listen to the stories of Pleasanton’s 5,000 years of history. Guillermo Wagner Granizo (1923-1995) was one of the world’s premier ceramic tile muralists who wove bright colors, geometric shapes, heavy lines, and varying textures into a vibrant display. The murals at 100 Main Street depicts four perspectives of the area’s heritage, including early indigenous Ohlone history, culture, agriculture, movie making, and commerce.
Born in San Francisco, Granizo was raised in Nicaragua and Guatemala, where he absorbed the influences of pre-Columbian primitive art probably from his Ecuadorean mother and later adding her family. His father, Guillermo Wagner, was a German-born pianist, music teacher, and composer who moved to Ecuador. Both of his heritages likely contributed to the complexity of his artistic vision and his quest as a visual storyteller.
Drafted into World War II and serving in the Army, he was severely injured during the June 1944 Normandy Invasion (D-Day) at Utah Beach in France He spent four years in a San Francisco military hospital undergoing numerous surgeries. As part of his recovery from multiple gunshots and a severe left leg injury, his four-year rehab included several hours a day in class at the San Francisco College of Art. His suffering deeply influenced him. It shaped his resilience and future career in the arts.
Later, he was appointed Art Director for KRON-TV in San Francisco, leading to his 15-year career as a producer of educational films. In 1962 he completed eight large mosaic murals for the San Francisco Academy of Sciences and the Steinhart Aquarium.
By 1973, he was a devoted ceramic muralist and received extensive commissions for the next 22 years including the 1975 four ceramic paintings at the S.F. International Airport. A prolific artist, his works are on public display in San Francisco, Benicia, Hillsborough, Napa, Pleasanton, Vacaville, and Los Angeles. Additional works are displayed in Alaska, New Mexico, Philadelphia, Utah, Australia, Europe, Mexico, Guatemala, Portugal, Japan, and Nicaragua.
Guillermo was struggling with cancer during the last two years of his life and appeared daily in Pleasanton to supervise the installation of the Pleasanton Centennial. He died 10 days after the completion of the stelae. Upon Granizo’s death, his family inherited his art collection and donated Self Portrait, the only self-portrait of the artist. To learn more about Guillermo Wagner Granizo, visit www.granizoart.com, and select autobiographical murals on the top bar.
Jan Coleman-Knight