L. Price Amerson, creator and director of UC Davis' Richard L. Nelson Gallery & The Fine Arts Collection, art lecturer and an artist known for his whimsical style, died Friday, Sept. 17, of sudden cardiac arrest. He had just turned 58. Amerson directed the campus's art department gallery for more than 20 years, developing both the gallery's exhibitions and its permanent collection during his tenure. Under his leadership the gallery became known for exhibiting a wide range of historic and contemporary works by internationally known artists including Fred Wilson, Guerrilla Girls and Ansel Adams. The Fine Arts Collection grew significantly during Amerson's tenure as director, and today includes important works by artists including Wayne Thiebaud, Roy De Forest, Jay DeFeo and Joseph Yoakum, as well as the Nagel Collection of Asian Art. "Price Amerson's hard work and dedication to the Department of Art and to creating the Nelson Gallery and Fine Arts Collection has been immeasurable," says Elizabeth Langland, dean of the Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies division of UC Davis' College of Letters and Science. "He assembled what is now a preeminent collection of some of the most influential artists of the last three decades -- in large part the faculty and alumni artists of UC Davis. He will be missed greatly." Especially prominent among Amerson's accomplishments was the commissioning through the campus's Art in Public Places group of Robert Arneson's "Eggheads," a series of five bronze sculptures now very popular with campus visitors and denizens alike. Interviewed in 1994, Amerson said this about the sculptures: "They are humorous, scatological and autobiographical. They hopefully make us laugh at ourselves and even reflect on ourselves and our roles and pursuits in the academic context of place." Amerson authored more than 40 publications, including books, exhibition catalogs and brochures about such exhibitions as Sacramento Valley landscapes, Manuel Neri, Michael Tompkins and Ciel Bergman. He made a series of video recordings during the early 1980s focusing on artists at work, including Roy de Forest, Wayne Thiebaud and Ralph Johnson, all of whom taught art on campus. During Amerson's directorship of the gallery, a group known as Nelson ARTfriends was created to support the gallery's work. Among other projects the group is known for its annual February Artist's Valentines fund raising event. "Price was the reason that I came on to the board for the Nelson ARTfriends. He ran a tight ship, but he was kind and would always listen to all ideas before nudging you to his way. He was a master at this method of getting things done," says Richard Houck, president of ARTfriends. "Price gave hundreds of hours of his own time to the gallery's work. He worked with a very dedicated small staff whom he led by example. He never asked anybody to work harder or put in more time than he was willing to put in himself. The prospect of the new performing arts and visual arts complex finally coming to fruition was discussed at our last meeting, and you could see a gleam in his eye about the possibilities. We at the Nelson ARTfriends have lost an exemplary leader and a good friend. He will be sorely missed." Amerson taught courses in museum studies for years and mentored many young artists and museum professionals. "Price was the acknowledged dean of museum studies on the Davis campus," says Bob Sommer, chair of the campus's art department. "In addition to directing the Nelson Gallery, he advised other campus units about acquisition, cataloging, storage and restoration issues. For many years he voluntarily taught courses on museum work as part of the studio program. He built up the fine arts collection of the Nelson Gallery to a point of distinction. His dream was a new visual arts center for the Davis campus." Amerson's contributions to enhancing the public's access to art went beyond the campus. He participated in the arts community in Northern California by serving as a juror for shows at the Davis Art Center and at the Matrix Gallery in Sacramento, participating as a panelist for San Francisco art programs and for the San Francisco Arts Commission, serving on Yolo County Arts Council committees and teaching classes through University Extension, among other efforts. Amerson joined UC Davis in 1972. He held a doctorate in art history from Pennsylvania State University and received his bachelor's degree in art and design from Texas Tech University. Amerson was known among area gardeners for his vast and varied private rose collection, which he sometimes opened to the public as part of a Woodland garden tour. He was also active as a founding member of the Woodland Library Rose Club, and was considered instrumental in getting rose gardens on the Woodland library grounds completed. Amerson is survived by his wife, Deborah Born, and his sister, Joyce Mayo and her husband, William, and their family, of Sweetwater, Texas, as well as by many relatives in Texas. Memorial contributions may be sent to either the Vesta Endowment Fund, Nelson Gallery, One Shields Ave., UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, or, to the Woodland Library Rose Club, 250 First St., Woodland, CA 95695. A memorial gathering will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center, with a reception to follow in the Nelson Gallery and the Art Building. Media contacts: -- Carol Rosset, Nelson Gallery, (530) 752-8500, cerosset@ucdavis.edu -- Lisa Klionsky, News Service, (530) 752-9841, lrklionsky@ucdavis.edu