Windmill on the Plains: Refuge

Description

Windmill on the Plains: Refuge

Maynard Dixon, 1921

About the Artist

Maynard Dixon, best known for his iconic depictions of the American West, displayed both the homes and people living there. After all, the American West was his favorite subject.

Although originally from California, Dixon painted subjects in both Arizona and New Mexico. Eventually, he settled in Southern Utah. While there, he developed his signature style of unique compositions, featuring both the low horizons and rock formations that the world has come to love.

Significantly, Dixon focused on preserving the image of Native American peoples. Seeing that they were disappearing from the American West, he wanted to capture the beauty of their lifestyle through art. While married to the famous photographer Dorothea Lange, Dixon focused at length on social realist subjects. At this time, his art depicted people who were struggling to make a living during the Great Depression.

EXPLORE DIXON’S WORK

Because the BYU Museum of Art owns the largest collection of Dixon’s work in the country, he is featured in many of our most popular exhibitions. Presently on display, Dixon has also been featured in both People in a Hard Land and The First 100 Years. Maynard Dixon: Searching for a Home, which features Windmill on the Plains: Refuge, is on display now.