. >> mark sublette, an authority on western painting, knows all about victor higgins. indiana in 1884, the artist leaves home as a teenager and studies painting at the art institute of chicago. in 1913, he's one of many american artists blown away by an international exhibition of modern art called the armory show. >> you had all these cubist and impressionistic paintings coming from europe. and it really shook up the entire art world. >> the staggered american artists, including higgins, resolve to develop their own modern styles. so several artists from around the country converge in taos, new mexico -- at the time, a sleepy southwestern pueblo. >> we have crystal-clear, blue skies with wonderful light penetration. it's a perfect setup for a colony, and that was exactly what happened. >> they establish the taos society of artists. higgins travels to taos and becomes a member. his southwest paintings are a hit with his wealthy, big-city patrons. >> higgins makes most of his money sending paintings from taos to chicago and new york. >> his work becomes even more popula

. >> mark sublette, an authority on western painting, knows all about victor higgins.rn on a farm in indiana in 1884, thartist leaves home as a teenager and studies painting at the art institute of chicago. in 1913, he's one of many american artists blown away by an international exhibition of modern art called the armory show. >> you had all these cubist and impressionistic paintings coming from europe. and it really shook up the entire art world. >> the staggered american artists, including higgins, resolve to develop their own modern styles. so several artists from around the country converge in taos, new mexico -- at the time, a sleepy southwestern pueblo. >> we have crystal-clear, blue skies with wonderful light penetration. it's a perfect setup for a colony, and that was exactly what happened. >> they establish the taos society of artists. higgins travels to taos and becomes a member. his southwest paintings are a hit with his wealthy, big-city patrons. >> higgins makes most of his money sending paintings from taos to chicago and new york. >> his work becomes eve

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