Linda McCartney

Linda McCartney distinguished herself through her exceptional and inspirational career as a photographer and she continues to have an enduring impact around the world. 

While she did not graduate from the University of Arizona, McCartney studied art history in 1961 – 1964 and often talked about how her time at the University inspired her career as a professional photographer. She began her career in the mid-sixties, chronicling the musical revolution of the decade. Her work has been exhibited in over 70 cities in 15 countries and now hangs in the National portrait galleries of both the United Kingdom and the United States. She is the only photographer to have ever been honored by three separate exhibitions at England’s Royal Photographic Society.

She was instrumental in documenting musical history with her photographs of iconic musicians, and also made history with achievements that include being the first female photographer to have her work featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and being named the U.S. female photographer of the year in 1967.

Beyond her career as a photographer, McCartney was a musician and member of Wings  with her husband, Paul McCartney, as well as an advocate for animal lives. She was a pioneer in promoting the vegetarian lifestyle with her internationally bestselling vegetarian cookbooks and readymade meals with Linda McCartney Foods. Her photography advanced the important work of many charitable organizations.

She was the proud mother of four children with Paul and said they were her greatest achievement. 

The University of Arizona honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts is in richly deserved recognition of Linda McCartney’s incredible impact on the arts, as well as the North American premiere of “The Linda McCartney Retrospective” at the University of Arizona’s Center of Creative Photography.