Pastel painting signed 'C. L. Carruthers'

This is a framed pastel or mixed media artwork depicting a historic adobe settlement, likely representing a Southwestern pueblo or cliff dwelling set upon a rocky mesa. The physical composition features warm earthen tones of brown, ochre, and rust for the multi-level adobe structures and the underlying rock formation, contrasted with a textured sky rendered in shades of blue and white chalk. The brushwork and pigment application suggest dry pastel or chalk on paper, showing visible blending and textural hatching in the cloudy sky and foreground rocks. The artwork is presented under glass within a simple light-colored mat board and a thin metallic or painted frame. In the lower right corner, there is a visible cursive signature that appears to read 'C. L. Carruthers', accompanied by a small red circular stamp or chop mark. The visible condition appears stable, though the item is unexamined outside of the frame, showing minor surface dust on the glass and standard light toning consistent with works on paper of this medium. The style suggests a mid-to-late 20th-century regional American artistic depiction of the Southwest. The attribution in the name rests entirely on the legible signature observed at the lower right corner of the composition, though the overall authenticity and exact age of the piece remain unverified.

Based on what I can see in the provided image, this framed pastel or mixed media artwork depicts a Southwestern pueblo or cliff dwelling set upon a rocky mesa. The composition employs warm earthen tones and a textured sky rendered in chalk, presented under glass within a simple mat and frame. In the lower right corner, the piece bears a signature reading 'C. L. Carruthers' alongside a small red circular stamp. However, I can't verify from a photo alone whether the signature is autograph, nor can I determine the exact age, paper quality, or archival stability of the materials without a physical inspection. My appraisal value range of $300 to $600 assumes that the attribution is correct and the materials are consistent with a mid-to-late 20th-century regional American work on paper. Regional Southwestern art of this style and medium generally appeals to niche decorative and regional collectors, with typical market demand fluctuating based on subject matter and framing presentation. To confirm authenticity and solidify the attribution, an in-person examination by a fine art conservator, detailed provenance research, and expert appraisal would be necessary. If the piece were to turn out to be a later reproduction, a decorative copy, or created simply 'in the style of' rather than by the named hand, the market value would likely decrease significantly, falling closer to a basic decorative art range of $50 to $150.