Magafan, through her delicate application of layers of paint, worked in hues that ignored the realistic colors of a scene, relying on the use of egg tempera to attain her special effects. With the death of her twin sister in 1952, Ethel’s landscapes became much more abstract, as she sought out the feeling of the scene rather than an exact representation. She ignored the rules for color and explored simplicity and open space in her work. Her paintings reflect her preference for the rugged mountains of the West (Colorado Springs).