Known for highly realistic Indian portraits with rich skin tones as well as Southwest and California desert landscape paintings, R Brownell McGrew showed early art talent in his home town and birth place of Columbus, Ohio.

He moved to California with his family when he was a child and enrolled at the Otis Art Institute, studying with Ralph Holmes. Although he preferred portrait painting, he won recognition for landscapes and was so proficient technically that he spent his last year at Otis teaching.

He worked as a commercial artist for M.G.M. and Columbia movie studios and then discovered a love for desert painting. He was also challenged by portrait painting, especially Navajo and Hopi Indians subjects from Arizo...