The Flatirons, Boulder, Colorado

Born in St. Louis in 1900, True's life took a transformative turn in 1928 when she ventured into the American Southwest. Traveling with friends from the Herron Institute, she journeyed along the High Road from Taos through the Rio Grande Valley to Santa Fe. The dramatic landscapes and vibrant cultures of northern New Mexico struck her with overwhelming force, igniting a deep emotional and artistic awakening she longed to capture on canvas. The experience reshaped her creative vision. In 1929, she joined the Fine Arts Department at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and by 1931, she made her exhibition debut at the New Mexico Museum of Art.