Arthur Fitzsimmons (Amer., 1909-1992), "Road to Taos", oil on panel, signed lower right

sight: 24 x 30 in., frame: 33 x 39 in.

Provenance: Property from a Florissant, Colorado collection

Arthur Fitzsimmons was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and spent part of his youth in Arizona, where he developed a strong interest in the Southwest. After recovering from illness, he returned to St. Louis and studied at the Washington University School of Fine Arts, later teaching art at St. Louis University. Although he first worked successfully as a commercial artist and illustrator, he chose to focus on fine art and moved to rural Missouri in the 1950s to pursue painting full time. Fitzsimmons considered himself an impressionist and worked in acrylics, oils, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, and pen and ink. He was especially known for desert scenes and other landscape paintings inspired by the Southwest. His work was shown at galleries including The Cradle in Colorado and Four Seasons West Gallery, Kurt Borne Gallery, and Hog Hollow Gallery in the St. Louis area, and he was represented for many years in Scottsdale, Arizona, by O’Brien’s Art Emporium.