Class of Winter 1928
John Frost
b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1890
d. Pasadena, California, 1937
Desert Twilight, c. 1928
Oil on canvas
27 x 32 inches
The highly respected California Impressionist John Frost died of tuberculosis at an early age, making his paintings somewhat rare. In 1918, he moved with his family to the healing environment of Pasadena, with its warm, dry climate. Desert Twilight, painted with delicate brushstrokes and soft pastel colors, is a poetic interpretation of the desert near Palm Springs. It shows the last light of day as a cold, dark shadow spreads across the desert floor. Although Frost was still some years away from death, the painting balances a sense of earthly mortality and melancholy with hope and joy in the spiritual afterlife. After winning a prize in the first annual Purchase Prize Exhibit for Desert Twilight, Frost subsequently participated nearly every year until his death.
GIFTED: Collecting the Art of California at Gardena High School, 1919-1956 is organized by the GHS Art Collection, Inc, in association with the Gardena High School Student Body and curated by Susan M. Anderson.
