J.R. Willis (Joseph Roy Willis), was born in Georgia in 1876. He started his career as a cartoonist during the Spanish American War and later studied under John Henri in New York. He painted sets for Universal Studios in Hollywood. He is known for his images of the American Southwest including portraits of Native Americans and also for his paintings of Aspen trees in the autumn ? he has been referred to as the "Aspen King" as a result of these paintings. He settled permanently in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1931