Dan Lutz was a prominent California artist painting during the mid-century. Born in Illinois, Lutz gained his arts education at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1931, Lutz was awarded a fellowship to study in Europe. Like many artists of the period, Lutz traveled throughout Europe, learning from the great European artists. After returning to America, he moved to Southern California.

Lutz began painting in watercolors during the Great Depression. Watercolors were easy for artists to transport and paint on-site. The immediate drying qualities of the paint allowed for few mistakes. Throughout the 1930s-40s, he produced watercolors featuring regional subjects. He also taught at the University of Southern California and Chouinard Art Institute. In 1950 he traveled to Mexico, where he became entranced by the beauty and culture. While Lutz spent the majority of his career in California, he often returned to Mexico in order to paint.