"Desert Dreams - The Western Art of Don Crowley"

Excerpts and a few images from Chapter 2: "Arizona and the Indians"


Longing for an artistic life outside of commercial illustration, Don moved his family to Tucson, Arizona in 1974 to pursue his passion for fine-art painting. It was a risky move, but Crowley felt if he stayed in New York, he would soon regret it. And his hunch was right, for the illustration market was giving way to the new mass-medium: television. Besides, Tucson reawakened creative excitement Don hadn't felt in years.



"Desert Sunset" - Arizona desert sunsets can match the magic of the aurora borealis. As an artist, Crowley is drawn to the light as surely as any moth is drawn to flame.
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"Apache Elegance" - "This was one of my first Apache models at the San Carlos Reservation," says Crowley. "I painted her several times, and she was always reserved and serene. The last time I saw her, she had shaved off her eyebrows. I never found out why."
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"Tucson Arizona Mountain Man Ralph Baker" - The subject for this portrait is the late ralph Baker. He was a historian, teacher and part of a group dedicated to preserving the heritage of the old-time mountain man. Crowley was intrigued with the snarling, wildcat hat perched over his friendly, benign, Santa-like countenance.
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