Northern New Mexico Landscape with Deer by Ila McAfee [R]

McAfee was raised on her family's ranch south of Gunnison, Colorado. In 1916, she graduated from Gunnison High School and then spent time in Los Angeles at the West Lake School of Art and the Haz Art School (1917 -1918).

In 1926, McAfee married Elmer Page Turner, an artist whom she had met on her parent's Colorado ranch, and that same year she visited Taos, New Mexico. Two years later, she and her husband settled there, and in 1929, they built the White Horse Studio, which continued to be her residence until 1993, when she moved to Pueblo, Colorado.

In Taos, she became known for her pueblo paintings and her depictions of horses and other animals as well as Native Americans, ranch scenes, and landscapes. In 1981, she was voted Taos Artist of the Year.

In the fall season featured in this painting, the mountain is devoid of snow following a long summer of snow melt which can be seen in the river that dominates the center of the painting. Yellow-leaf Aspens establish the season as does the flowing river. An alert deer takes a look back at the stream from which it has just sipped a quick drink of water.

The painting is signed in lower right, but not dated. It is in excellent condition.