Warren Newcombe Biography Born in Massachusetts, Warren Newcombe studied painting under Joseph DeCamp, graduating from Boston’s Normal Art School in 1914. He taught drawing in Massachusetts until he moved to New York in 1918. He worked there not only as a successful commercial artist, but also painting Sargent-like portraits remarkable for their photographic realism. In 1920 he became associated with Selznick Co. designing sets for motion pictures. Following this, he created his own company for the production of motion picture effects, and in 1923 produced two films “The Enchanted City” and “The Sea of Dreams”, both which were made with paintings. They created quite a furore in the motion picture world, getting rave reviews from eminent critics. In 1924 and 1925, Newcombe designed sets for D.W. Griffith, developing and perfecting new mechanics for capturing difficult shots. In 1925 he moved to California to become head of the special effects department at MGM Studios, where the “Newcombe Process” became widely used. He was responsible for such monumental set designs as the Emerald City for “The Wizard of Oz”. A brilliant cinematic artist, he won two Oscars for special effects. Despite all of this activity, Newcombe did not neglect his artistic career. He painted continuously, keeping his painting distinctly separate from his technical work. His paintings were exhibited in prestigious one-man shows in Los Angeles and Carmel. In addition, he exhibited regularly with the Society of Independent Artists and numerous other groups whose exhibitions hung in both galleries and museums throughout the United States and Canada. The art of Warren Newcombe became synonymous with California, as the public and critics alike viewed him as an artist of emotion and intellect who recorded the California scene.