Skip to main content
Intellect

Alumnus adds artistic flair to BYU's donation celebration

Stanley Wanlass, sculptor of bronzed roadsters and other timeless automobiles, will return to Brigham Young University with an exhibit Wednesday (Dec. 4) to help his alma mater celebrate the largest donation in its history.

"I'm pleased to showcase my private collection of sculptures as part of the occasion," said Wanlass.

The exhibit is tied to the announcement of a multimillion dollar gift to BYU from the Partners for the Advancement of CAD/CAM/CAE Education, an alliance formed between General Motors, Sun Microsystems and EDS to support academic institutions with computer-based engineering and design tools. The donation includes software packages identical to those GM uses in its vehicle development process.

The free exhibit will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in the second-floor lobby of the Crabtree Technology Building. Wanlass extensively researches the cars he sculpts, trying first to drive a model of each to get a feel for its dimensions and performance.

The artist's work has been displayed in automotive museums the world over. Those featuring a complete collection are the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, Calif., the Car Rail Museum in Detroit, the Rosso Bianco Museum in Germany, the National Automobile Museum in Holland and the Guggisburg Museum in Switzerland.

The latest issue of Automobile Quarterly, a periodical for automobile connoisseurs, features Wanlass' art on its cover and in a full-length article, which calls him the "sculptor of motion."

BYU professors say he was an ideal fit for the automotive theme of the PACE announcement.

"Stanley has been a good friend to both the technology and art departments over the years," said John Marshall, a professor of industrial design. "He is the perfect person to help us commemorate this event."

After graduation from BYU in 1966, Wanlass taught art at the European Art Academy in Paris and the University of Grenoble, France. He has also taught at universities in the United States and Canada. After giving up teaching to sculpt full time, Wanlass was commissioned for numerous historical sculptures in the United States and internationally.

Wanlass' time at BYU was influential in his decision to pursue a career in art. After winning the school's Merrill Award for sculpture in 1965 and the Brockbank Award for painting in 1966, he began to believe in his own abilities as an artist.

"The awards were a complete surprise to me and helped me make up my mind to stick with art," said Wanlass. "I thought, 'Maybe I could go somewhere with this.'"

Writer: Kristin Prina

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

Impossible Burgers at a summer BBQ? Impossible! Why plant-based alternatives are still just beyond reach for most people

August 14, 2025
Plant-Based Alternatives (PBAs) — such as the Impossible Burger — are becoming more common, and those who try them say they are actually quite good. And while companies are pouring billions into making PBAs taste just like their meat counterparts, they still aren’t catching on. So what’s the hold-up?
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Photographic memory: BYU boasts nation's top student photographer for third year in a row

August 05, 2025
One of BYU’s very own is the best student photographer in all the land. Information systems student Matthew Norton was just named the Student Photographer of the Year by the University Photographer’s Association of America.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Forum: Faith and flourishing in your life and work

July 29, 2025
Paul Lambert, the religion initiative director at the Wheatley Institute, shared in a BYU forum address how faith in Jesus Christ is more than just a personal foundation. It’s also a powerful force for good in the world around us.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=