He served in the US Navy in the First World War, then worked on a ranch in Colorado, before moving to New York City to study art.
In his early artistic years, Delano: During his later years, his painting focused on depictions of Navajo people, red sandstone canyons, and wildlife.
In 1940, Delano painted Navajo Shepherdess, placed in Monument Valley.
In it he placed a saguaro cactus, although it was well outside the naturally occurring area for this plant.
It is believed to be the first illustrative use of the plant to symbolize the American West, which has become almost ubiquitous.