Up for sale is an incredibly rare original Olive Rush watercolor depicting three “cowboy” / Native American figures ice skating. This watercolor came out of Lucy Bacon’s personal collection of Christmas cards from all the major Santa Fe artists during the first half of the 20th century which include: Olive Rush, Gustave Baumann, Will Shuster, Josef Imhof, John Sloan, Williard Clark etc... Lucy Bacon, an early Californian impressionist artist was particularly close with Olive and exchanged many prints and original works of art, this being one of them. On the backside is a personal note from Olive which reads “Lucy’s first Christmas in New Mexico. Cowboy figures and trouble in snow. From Olive.” A partial paper label remains with the name “Rush” and the date 1917 which was just three years after Rush had first visited Santa Fe with her father and three years before she relocated there.

Olive is known for being the first professional female artist to settle in Santa Fe and her house was used as a gathering place for artists especially female artists who visited the small town. It was only natural that Lucy and Olive would become close friends for not only their connection as artists but their love for the Native American people as well.

Executed in watercolor and pencil on artist board this painting measures roughly 3 1/4 / 5 3/4 inches while the board measures 6 x 8 inches. Framed to all museum standards Crescent Rag Matt is used along with Tru Vue Museum glass and non-adhesive mounting strips. The watercolor is an absolutely charming and cute original work depicting cowboy and Native American children on ice skates with the figure on the right humorously falling flat on his back. Well executed, this original painting was gifted as a special Christmas card with the majority of cards sent out being woodblocks. The condition shows discoloration and some foxing. This is such a fine example of the most intimate Christmas cards gifted by these famous New Mexico artists.

Along with this watercolor, I purchased a nice selection of woodblock Christmas cards that were traded between these Santa Fe artists as well so if interested please let me know.