▁( 1 9 0 3 – 1 9 9 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁painter . ▁ ▁Biography ▁El wood ▁De cker ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁F res no , ▁California ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁In ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁after ▁De cker ▁had ▁done ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁duty ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army , ▁he ▁had ▁come ▁to ▁live ▁as ▁an ▁artist ▁in ▁the ▁d unes ▁of ▁O ce ano . ▁He ▁had ▁found ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁artists ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁joined ▁with . ▁The ▁artists ▁included ▁writers , ▁po ets , ▁and ▁free - th ink ers , ▁who ▁called ▁themselves ▁Dun ites . ▁In ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁De cker ▁decided ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁d unes ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁artist ▁for ▁Civil ian ▁Conserv ation ▁Corps . ▁With ▁this ▁new ▁job , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁create ▁his ▁own ▁representation ▁or ▁port ray al ▁of ▁the ▁reconst ruction ▁of ▁the ▁buildings ▁at ▁historic ▁Fort ▁Church ill ▁that ▁was ▁near ▁Ren o , ▁Nev ada . ▁This ▁included ▁brick ▁making , ▁sc aff old ing , ▁tools ▁and ▁equipment , ▁and ▁the ▁men ▁themselves . ▁Over ▁ 4 0 ▁of ▁his ▁works ▁with ▁this ▁assignment ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Washington , ▁and ▁others ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁left ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Nev ada . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁De cker ▁ended ▁up ▁living ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁d unes