Posts Tagged ‘native american indian’

Artist of the moment…………Al Qoyawayma

{ August 25, 2015 @ 12:24 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Al Qoyawayma is a contemporary Hopi artist renown for his pottery and bronze sculptures. Al Qoyawayma was born in Los Angeles, California in the year 1938. His work often includes maize, similar to corn, which is a staple of life for his people. Another cultural idea he uses is to fire his work at very high temperatures using coal.

Qoyawayma attended college at California Polytech State University earning a bachelors degree. The artist went on to earn a master’s degree in engineering from University of Southern California.

In this clip we view a wonderful piece of pottery by the artist:

Price range information: Sorry none available.

Below a link to the website of the artist:

http://www.alqpottery.com/

In a very cool endeavor the artist talks about one of his pots going on a space voyage. The artist is also the co-founder of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society:

The artist won a scholarship to help the people of New Zealand, the Maori, rediscover their pottery making traditions.

Qoyawayma is part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Al Qoyawayma is an amazing artist who has found his own perfect mix of ancient traditions and new ideas in his process. This gives his work a wonderful mix of old and new. His works that portray ancient Hopi dwellings are simply stunning!

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Artist of the moment…………Allan Houser

{ October 16, 2014 @ 12:54 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Allan Houser also known as Allan Haozous was perhaps the most renown Apache Indian artists. Allan Houser was born close to Apache, Oklahoma in the year 1914.   The artist was a painter, sculptor, illustrator, and enjoyed his native culture immensely as he enjoyed dancing and mask making.

The artist studied with privately with artist Dorothy Dunn and also attended the Sante Fe Indian School.

Houser was a Chiricahua Apache Indian. His father was the grand-nephew of the Native American leader Geronimo. After he and his people gave up and went to prison Allan Houser was the first child born outside of the prison area. Allan Houser’s father was the translator for Geronimo. As an illustrator of children’s books Houser wrote and illustrated a book on his relative and great uncle Geronimo.

He began his wonderful art career as a mural painter.

Houser was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

 

In this clip a short documentary on the artist from Public Service Television of Sante Fe, New Mexico. Brief segments are shown with the artist, his wife, and other families. A short interview with the artist two years before his death:

Allan Houser was a mentor to the artist of the previous post, Larry Ahvakana.

Allan Houser passed away in 1994 at the age of 80.

The artist loved to draw and began his sculpture works with many prep studies. He left behind more than 6,000 drawings for us to enjoy.

Price range information: Drawings can be found at $5,000 up to original sculptures which can bring in $50,000.

To close we view a memoriam for Allan Houser’s 100th birthday from earlier in 2014:

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Artist of the moment……….Oscar Howe

{ September 7, 2014 @ 12:12 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Oscar Howe was a born in Joe, South Dakota in the year 1915. Howe was a fantastic painter of the Native American Indian and its culture. Howe painted the figure in a very modernist style.

Howe was a master at portraying movement in his paintings. I am impressed in his group scenes by the detail to clothing and facial expressions he gives each person. These large works that show a crowd in a circle are amazing! Its like fifty different portraits of different heads all facing different directions, simply amazing.

Another great feature of Howe’s art is his painting of hair. Its full of color and movement that adds to liveliness of his artwork.

Oscar Howe represented the Yanktonai Native American Indian. The Yanktonai are found in both North and South Dakota.

Howe served in World War 2 and then attended Dakota Wesleyan University located in Mitchell, South Dakota earning a B.F.A. Howe went on to earn a M.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma located in Norman, Oklahoma.

Howe also worked for the Works Progress Administration. This was a great experience for the artist  as he learned to paint large murals.

The artist taught at the collegiate level for many years at the University of South Dakota  located in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Oscar Howe passed away in 1983.

In this clip we view many works by Howe including his beginning paintings which were similar to many other artists of the region. He found his own palette and style but sometimes was rejecting for shows as his paintings weren’t Indian enough:

Price range information: The artist painted in casein, gouache, and tempera. No pricing information available.

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