135

According to Payne biographer Scott A. Shields, “To get to his destinations, Payne early on traveled across unpaved desert roads in his Model T. He often parked in the little towns of the Owens Valley and then traveled on horseback or with mules to explore the heights of the eastern Sierra. He was accompanied sometimes by a fellow artist, most often Conrad Buff, and sometimes by students–’packers’–who were there not only to learn but also to help with equipment. Later, as roads were built and automobiles improved, trips to such places as Tioga Pass and Mammoth Lakes could be made entirely in the artist’s ‘high-powered car,’ which was equipped with a large box on the running board for provisions. The most inaccessible locales still required Payne to leave his automobile behind and travel with pack animals.... Although finding these obscure trails and climbing to high altitudes could certainly be dangerous, it was also exhilarating.”

PROVENANCE
The Artist
Evelyn Payne Hatcher (his daughter), Minneapolis, MN, 1930
DeRu’s Fine Art, 1996
Private Collection, CA

EXHIBITED
Public Works of Art Project, 14th Region—Southern California, March, 1934
Selected Paintings by Southern California Artists, J. W. Young Gallery, Chicago, IL, nd

Condition ReportSurface condition is very good. Several hairline cracks in mountain and upper-right corner. No signs of restoration nor inpainting.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.