Artist Cyril Ralph (Rigby) Baker was born in North Attleboro, Massachusetts on November 29, 1895. He was a descendant of Roger Wiliams, and was number five among ten children.

In his late twenties and early thirties, Cyril moved to Glendale, California where he lived the rest of his life. He opened a sign painting shop and painted backdrop scenery for one of the movie studios. These jobs paid the rent while he pursued his painting career. He painted mostly desert scenes from photos he would take or sometimes he would paint plein air in the desert. Cyril was reluctant to take part in art shows. He sold paintings out of his studio.

Source: A letter with photos accompanying this painting written by the artist's niece, Dorothy E. Baker Burnett, October 2003.