Elmer Wachtel was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1864 and kicked the bucket in 1929. He was an American scene painter. At age 18, he moved to San Gabriel, California, to seek a vocation in music. He was a self-educated violinist and, in 1888, was invited to be the foremost violinist on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. It wasn't until 1900, at age 36, that Wachtel understood his ability for visual expressions and was acknowledged into the Art Student League in New York. He got back to LA and earned enough to pay the bills as a violinist yet continued to assemble his creative portfolio and show the painting simultaneously. Marion Kavanaugh, one of his understudies, ultimately turned into his significant other. They evaded rivalry by using various mediums: oils and watercolors. These two turned into the most eminent names in the local craftsmanship area of California.
