Valley of the Hondo, New Mexico

Marin made his first trip to the West in early June 1929 at the suggestion of two friends, Georgia O'Keeffe and Rebecca Strand (wife of the photographer Paul Strand). O'Keeffe' s invitation came at a good moment, because Marin was feeling the need to explore new territory and escape what he called "living in herds" in Manhattan. Marin had also been tempted to visit the West by his friend the painter Marsden Hartley's vivid descriptions of the landscape. During the summers of 1929 and 1930 Marin lived and painted in New Mexico, following the lead of several of the artists who congregated around the 291 gallery in New York. Valley of the Hondo, New Mexico was one of the group of thirty watercolors that was exhibited in 1931 at Alfred Stieglitz's gallery An American Place.