Sebastian Capella Dies at 85; La Jolla Teacher, Artist Famed for Portraits

Sebastian Capella—a celebrated La Jolla artist known for his portraits who taught students from around the world—died of lung cancer in March at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, reported a U-T San Diego obituary.

He was 85.

Born in Spain, he began teaching fine art at the University of San Diego nearly 50 years ago, said the obituary.

 “He proved to be a fantastic teacher,” his daughter Rosa Capella-Gonzalez was quoted as saying. “He had a psychological way of teaching each individual to get the best out of them. Many of his students told me that before they studied under my father, they didn’t think they were any good. They said, ‘Your father taught me everything I know.’”

His website said Capella passed away March 22 and “his private classes are now being taught by Raye Anne Marks, his longtime student and personal assistant for almost three decades.”

Former San Diego Evening Tribune art critic Jan Jennings told U-T San Diego: “I was first familiar with him as a portrait artist beyond belief. Sebastian just captured people. He just got it. His portraits were stunning, unbelievable.”

Survivors include his wife, Margarita, of La Jolla; sister Rosa Pallares of Valencia, Spain; daughters Rosa Capella-Gonzalez of Valencia, Margarita Solazzo of San Juan Capistrano, and Thais Capella-Coca of Valencia; and sons Sebastian Capella of Carmel Mountain, and Richard Capella of San Diego.

Services have been held.