George S. Dibble was an American painter, art critic for the Salt Lake Tribune, and professor at the University of Utah. Born on March 29, 1904, in Oahu, Hawaii, Dibble studied art at the University of Utah before joining the Art Students League of New York. While attending Columbia University (1935-1940), Dibble found he was drawn to Cubism, saying that he had “found it was strengthening to organize the canvas in spatial terms… [t]he multiple viewing for example, understanding what’s inside the cup as well as outside, was fascinating.” Dibble was a member of the Modern Artists of Utah and participated in exhibitions that sought to help the Utah public understand and accept modern art.
This modern, wintery watercolor depicting snow-covered homes tucked protectively behind a screen of bare-branched trees showcases Dibble's bold style. The abstract nature of the layered watercolor background in combination with the simplified geometric shapes that suggest man-made structures and the expressive black charcoal trees seem to capture the essential feeling of a secluded winter hideaway.
