Yoakum began producing landscapes when he was 76-years-old—sometimes executing several in one day. While many drawings depict places he had visited as a young circus hand or soldier during World War I, others feature locations he was only aware of from his avid interest in atlases and maps. Yoakum typically included text within his compositions, intending for his work to resemble postcards or pictures from travel brochures. The unique, stylized features of the artist’s landscapes were inspired by his interest in Northwest coast tribal art. This is most apparent in the use of curving lines to delineate shape and form.

October, 2020