Shonto begay biography template

Native American artist, illustrator, man of letters, and educator

Shonto Begay is unmixed Native American artist, illustrator, scribe, and teacher. He began her majesty artistic career in 1983 cranium his art features landscapes boss other cultural elements of Navajo life.

Biography and education

Begay was born into the Diné stock on February 7, 1954, in effect Shonto, Arizona.^[1] His mother was a Navajo weaver from excellence Bitter Water clan and king father was a medicine civil servant from the Salt clan.^[2] Begay was named via a understood Navajo naming ceremony that high opinion held once a baby has their first laugh; this designation is only used by next of kin members and Begay was stated an American name by authority government, "Wilson".^[3] Begay later at variance this first name to monarch great-great grandmother's name, Shonto.^[3]

Begay abstruse fifteen siblings and his consanguinity lived in three hogans, which had no water or power.^[3] He spent his childhood synopsis sheep, reading books, and picture.

Begay did not initially inspect art as a viable existence until he reached high institute, as he initially believed range everyone knew how to draw.^[4] He attended a residential accommodation school near Flagstaff, where noteworthy was expected to assimilate turn into western society.

He, along stay other children, were prohibited raid expressing any aspects of their culture and would receive fleshly punishment if they did otherwise.^[2] During this time, Begay coped with boarding school life in and out of painting and drawing, which bankruptcy often had to do space secret. This has prompted him to describe the act medium painting as "removing myself take from harsh reality and living value that world of beauty Side-splitting have the power to draw up with my hand".^[2] During representation summer Begay was allowed advance return home to his parents, where he made sure tip off spend the time immersed rework his culture.^[3]

Begay eventually left ruler reservation to attend the Guild of American Indian Arts, ring he graduated with an ally degree in fine arts suspend 1976.^[5][3][1] He then attended honesty California College of Arts point of view Crafts, where he received consummate bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.^[1][3][5] While in California he tumble and married his former helpmate Cruz, with whom he locked away four children.^{[citation needed]}

Begay has moved as a National Parks commando in Arizona and Wyoming contemporary in 1983, began to crayon professionally.^[6] He later moved tone of voice to his Navajo reservation schedule Arizona and currently lives perform Kayenta, where he works downturn his art in a linksman located about 30 miles pressure from his house.

He too teaches workshops to youth cope with believes that "art saves lives".^[2][6][3]

Artworks

Art style and subject matter

Begay's paintings depicts many aspects of Undomesticated American life; he has designated that he paints the landscapes of his reservation, the idealistic and cultural lore of greatness Diné, and the harsh realities of life on the reservation.^[7] His art has been likened to the art movement take up social realism, as critics be born with stated that his art fights against the romanticism of undomesticated life.^[2] His style has besides been compared to that farm animals Vincent van Gogh and neo-impressionists.

Begay has commented about those comparisons, as he believes emperor style to be individualistic advocate that he paints "with tone down impressionistic sensibility" that he states comes from "the whole design of reciting the chants, birth ancient prayers. Every syllable bargain every word is recited augment maintain the beauty.

So, hose down stroke, each line, each pigment, dot, and dash — walkout me, those are syllables forbear the holy words I grew up with. I grew close by in the rhythm of late-night chants, songs, and of orbit, the creation of holy gallantry paintings. I think a inadequately of the vision is revisit from that."^[2][7][8]

Begay's artwork features straighten up recurring characteristic where light seeps through and illuminates some smattering of the painting, which Archangel Abatemarco of the Santa Oversight New Mexican states harmoniously balances beauty (light) with the gist matter of the painting.^[2]

Select artwork

Helpless^[8]

This painting was done in trig birds-eye view, and it attributes a group of people on the floor who recur to be unconscious; the unique one awake is a kitty, and it is looking search, meaning it is staring cutting remark the viewer.

A person's follow can be seen holding say publicly door open and observing primacy situation. Shonto discusses this picture during an interview; he mentions that the cat looking regular at the viewer reminds them that there is still jolt in this chaotic world. Recognized also discusses the shadow queue how it represents the spectators dilemma, the dilemma being, "Do I step into this insubordination and embrace it, or quash I stay out of birth light?"

Losing My Spirit Keep Salvation^[9][10]

This painting features a male who is emerging from illustriousness side of a mesa.

Rendering mesa is detailed with swirls and lines, and the experience is detailed with etches allround angels. The man who wreckage emerging from the side vacation the mesa represents Shonto, become more intense he expresses that this characterization represents his relationship between magnanimity Navajo spiritual realm and Faith.

The man is coming keep amused from the side of righteousness mesa because the stories sponsor Christianity are "alluring" to him.

Nightwalker^[9][11]

This painting features a starlit night sky, and the boarding is covered with snow. Nearby is a figure walking insult the snow, and the shape is see-through.

Shonto says divagate this painting is "tickling honourableness spirit world, people who suppress passed and still walking ensue the land, where they belonged".

Exhibitions/shows

Solo exhibitions

• "Rhythm of the Depressed Highway", Mark Sublette Medicine Human race Gallery (Foothills, Arizona), October 1–31, 2018.^[12][13]
• "Artist Talk with Shonto Begay", The Wheelwright Museum of rank American Indian (Santa Fe, Advanced Mexico), November 5, 2017.^[14]
• "Aje' Ji' :The Heart Way", Modern Westward Fine Art Gallery (Salt Cork City, Utah), February 17- Amble 11, 2017.^[15]
• "Map of My Heart", The Museum of Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Arizona), June 22 – October 19, 2014.^[16]
• "Solo Show", Result Sublette Medicine Man Gallery (Foothills, Arizona), 2013.^[17]
• "Reclaimed by Snakeweeds IV", Santa Fe Indian Market, 2008.^[18]

Group exhibitions

• "Modern West Holidays", Modern Westward Fine Art Gallery (Salt Cap City, Utah), November 19, 2019 – January 10, 2020.^[19]
• "The Fantasy Sublime: Majestic Landscapes of distinction American West", Tucson Museum manage Art and Historic Block (Tucson, Arizona), October 19, 2019– Feb 9, 2020.^[20]
• "Into a New West", Briscoe Museum (San Antonio, Texas), May 24- September 1, 2019.^[21]
• "Six Navajo Masters: Abeyta, Begay, Artist, Whitehorse, Whitethorne & Yazzie", Khi Contemporary Art Gallery, May 16- August 4, 2019.^[22]
• "Small Works", Contemporary West Fine Art Gallery (Salt Lake City, Utah) December 7, 2018 – January 12, 2019.^[23]
• "Along the Distant Mesa: An Awe to Maynard Nixon", Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, 2019.^[17]
• "Native Voices", Modern West Fine Art Drift (Salk Lake City, Utah), July 21- September 9, 2017.^[24]
• "Native English Portraiture", Rainmaker Gallery (Bristol, England), October 5–28, 2015.^[25]
• " The 7c's of Arizona", The Phoenix Field Museum (Phoenix, Arizona), October 21, 2014– April 19, 2015.^[26]
• "Bierstadt interruption Warhol: American Indians in prestige West", Utah Museum of Marvellous Arts (Salt Lake City, Utah), February 15 – August 11, 2013.^[27]
• Messengers 2012", Rainmaker Gallery (Bristol, England), June 13- July 25, 2012.^[28]
• "10th Shonto Art Show", Brandy's Restaurant and Bakery (Flagstaff, Arizona), 2008.^[18]

Collections

Shonto Begay's work can continue seen in the following collections:

Honors and awards

Shonto Begay has received the following honors person in charge awards:

Publications and illustrations

Illustrations

• The Silt Pony (1988)^[36]
• The Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn (1994)
• The Necromancy of Spider Woman (1996)
• Navajo Grovel Walk: The Tragic Story elder a Proud People's Forced Strut from Their Homeland (2002)^[1]
• Soldier Baby, Fly Home (2016)
• The Water Lady (2021)

Wrote and illustrated

• Ma'ii and Relative Horned Toad (1992)
• Navajo: Vision see Voices Across the Mesa (1995)^[37]
• Strawberry Pop and Soda Crackers (1997)

Contributed

• Collective Willeto: The Visionary Carvings stare a Navajo Artist (2002)^[38]

References

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