This is a beautiful watercolor by American artist Nat Youngblood. It depicts a New Mexico pueblo and corral dusted in snow. It has a modernist feel although is solidly realistic. The colors are rich. The snow is created by absence--no paint on a bright white textured paper. Youngblood uses the texture of the paper to create the surface of the snow, a technique frequently used by oriental painters. It is signed lower right. The piece is on a free sheet and is in excellent condition with no fading or issues with the paper. An excellent image by an artist known for his work in New Mexico.
Nat Youngblood (1916-2009) Nat Youngblood was born in Indiana, and spent his formative years there ending with completion of a bachelors degree in art from Indiana University. He then continued his education in New Mexico, first at the University of New Mexico, then in Taos at the Harwood Institute. This started his lifelong love affair with New Mexico—particularly the artist colony at Taos. He completed his education at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He served in the airborne in World War II and received a Purple Heart for an injury sustained in a glider accident. After the war he ended up in Pittsburgh where he worked as an illustrator for the Pittsburgh Press. He also contributed paintings for the Pittsburgh Renaissance, and, notably, several paintings for the Fort Pitt museum. He split time between homes in Pittsburgh and Corrales, NM. While recognized for his city- and landscapes, he is best known for portraits of Native Americans created in his retirement. He had several solo exhibits at galleries in Scottsdale, AZ and Santa Fe, NM. He was a frequent participant in the Artist of America International Show in Denver. His work is held in many major collections.