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Orrin Sheldon Parsons

American, 1866 - 1943

BiographyParson studied at the National Academy of Design and was a successful portraitist in New York City. Following the death of his wife Parsons exchanged paintings for a train tickets west. The railroad was glad to have pictures to display in hotels, and offices to promote travel to the west. When a bout with tuberculosis interrupted his trip to California to paint murals in San Francisco, doctors recommended the dry New Mexico climate as a cure. Parsons and his 12 year old daughter struggled for some time; the people who wished to see Santa Fe develop into a cultural center often reached out to help the family, again exchanging food and services for Parsons work.

Parsons recovered and became known for his "romantic high-keu landscapes." He later became the first director of the Museum of New Mexico.

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