Ed Mell, an iconic Arizona artist whose paintings, sculptures and illustrations have evoked the feeling of the American Southwest in Arizona Highways and elsewhere, will be honored with a lifetime achievement award by a Wickenburg museum next year.

The Desert Caballeros Western Museum is honoring Mell at its heART of the West Gala on Saturday, January 18, the museum announced in a news release last week.

As the museum puts it, Mell's work "brings an architectural eye to the desert, emphasizing graphic elements and streamlining details to serve his vision." And his acclaimed work has found its way into public and private art collections and exhibitions across the country.

Mell recently designed the sets for Arizona Opera's adaptation of the classic Zane Grey novel Riders of the Purple Sage. Readers of Arizona Highways might also recall the cover painting he created for our 90th anniversary issue in April 2015.

For more information, or to purchase tickets to the gala, visit the Desert Caballeros Western Museum's website.