James Swinnerton
1875-1974
BORN IN
Eureka, California
KNOWN FOR
Desert landscape and Indian figure painting, cartoons
Known as the “the Dean of Desert Artists,” Swinnerton came to the desert for his health, not by choice. He was a Californian, and attended the San Francisco Art Association Art School where he studied under William Keith and Emil Carlsen along with classmate Maynard Dixon. From 1903 onward, Jimmy became konwn as a painter of the desert.
He explored the Southwest throughout New Mexico, Arizona (nine years before it became the 48th state), Utah, and California. His favored subjects included the Grand Canyon and portraits of American Indians. He even had a comic strip of Indian children called “Canyon Kiddies” which was published in Good Housekeeping Magazine.
