Bennett Schroeder Bradbury Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, b. 1914 - d. 1991

(b 1914; d 1991)
Bradbury was born into a musical family in Wrentham, MA on Feb. 23, 1914. Bradbury’s mother, Elfrida Schroeder, was a grand opera star in the Boston Opera Company, and his grandfather, Alwin Schroeder, received acclaim as the greatest cellist of his time.

As a mature artist, Bennett became a distinguished member of the Laguna Beach artist community. Bradbury worked for the Walt Disney studios for a time, as many artists in California were so employed as colorists and draftsmen.

Bradbury left Disney, however, to dedicate his career full-time to landscape (or seascape) painting. Bradbury was especially well known for dramatic pacific beach scenes showing turbulent waves dashing against rocks, in much the same manner as the oil paintings of Frederick J. Waugh.

For a time Bradbury left Laguna Beach to spend eight years in Honolulu, where he maintained a studio at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Upon his return to California, Bradbury continued to paint California coastal views in and around Laguna Beach. He taught painting on the Monterey Peninsula, and in 1970 moved to Carmel, where he lived until his death in 1991.