Walter Elmer Schofield, Mine Builders, Arizona

In 1934, when he was sixty-eight years old, Schofield traveled to Arizona, seeking rugged new landscapes to paint; he was still the outdoorsman-artist he had been throughout his career. The region’s crisp atmosphere and bright light inspired a new color palette: blue and lavender shadows fall on the warm yellow terrain, invoking the dry heat of the desert. The red building stands out, a bold yet humble symbol of American industry.