Though Lloyd Moylan’s artistic focus skewed heavily toward northwest New Mexico and Diné (Navajo) subjects, in The Rio Grande Country he shifts his gaze to the area around Alcalde, NM, where he had a home and studio. Many Western American artists have been drawn to the Rio Grande valley since the late 1800s, in part because of its famous natural light. Here, Moylan captures the drama of the sun streaming through a break in storm clouds: the cross atop the church and bent tree appear spotlit, while the bent figure of a woman and the foreground are cast in deep shadow. The play between the jewel tones of the sky and trees and the earth tones of the buildings and hill enhances the extreme lighting effects.
