Delano, Gerard Curtis

Gerard Curtis Delano filled his lonely childhood in Massachusetts with fishing, hiking—and drawing. No one thought much of his artistic ambitions, but Delano persisted, making his way to and through art schools in New Bedford and New York, where he embarked on a career in commercial art. The American West fascinated Delano and some of his earliest drawings had been of Indians. In the 1920’s, he finally went West, found a measure of success, then returned to the East Coast to study with N. C. Wyeth and Harvey Dunn. Delano then headed west for good. Settling in Colorado, he made his career, and fame, painting Native Americans—the Navajo in particular—and the history of the Old West. Lush masses, soft light, and beautiful contrasting colors animate Delano’s paintings.