Washoe Wickiup 1919

Maynard Dixon made this painting called Washoe Wickiup, with what looks like oil on canvas. I love how the brushstrokes in the sky feel both solid and airy, creating this push-pull of form. It’s like the sky is being built even as it’s dissolving. The earth tones are so rich and varied; there’s this warm, inviting feeling, like you could walk right into the scene. Look at the way he’s handled the textures, the rough edges of the rocks against the smoother, rounded shapes of the bushes. I’m drawn to the cactus on the left; its verticality is so grounding, a strong, steady presence against the vastness of the landscape. Dixon reminds me a little of Georgia O’Keeffe, in the way he captures the spirit of the American West, but with a more rugged, masculine sensibility. Art’s like a conversation, right? Each artist building on what came before, finding their own voice in the mix.