Navajo (Dine’) – Wright's Indian Art

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 21: Bennie “Yellowman” Nelson and Benjamin “Ahn-Hia-Ohm” Nelson

In conjunction with True West of Santa Fe, Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 21: Bennie Yellowman Nelson and Benjamin Nelson!!

Yellowman and Benjamin will be at Wright’s Indian Art on Saturday, November 9th from 12 pm until 4 pm.

Yellowman and Benjamin will be at True West of Santa Fe on Sunday, November 10th from 11am until 5pm.

Bennie Yellowman Nelson is an acclaimed Navajo artist who has honed his craft over the course of 50 years of work, starting at a young age with painting with acrylics and watercolors. Over the years, he has been featured in many different galleries all across the country. The work he enters into various art shows is consistently a favorite with crowds, with eye-grabbing colors and striking detail.

Yellowman is also an avid public speaker, raising awareness and bringing light to issues that the Native American communities face. He is involved in several charities, as he believes in giving back to the community and those in need, and holds that belief very close to his heart. He feels that being a positive figure in his community is a large part of who he is.

Benjamin Nelson, the son of Yellowman, is an accomplished artist in his own right. A painter who started at the age of 5, has been perfecting his craft and methods over the years. His work, which ranges from his own style of ledger art, to multimedia, and even wearable art, has been collected all over the world. Public figures such as Princess Diana, former President Bill Clinton, and former New Mexico governor Heather Wilson have collected Benjamin’s work over the years.

Throughout his career as an artist, Benjamin has been juried into many competitions and has won awards nearly everywhere he has entered. While he is young in years, Benjamin is a veteran artist and has already established himself as a master of his craft with many years of growth ahead!

We are very excited to have these two wonderful and talented artists at both galleries for our first dual event…you won’t want to miss this!!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 20: Raynard and Rain Scott

Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 20: Raynard and Rain Scott!!

Raynard and Rain will be in our gallery on Saturday, October 5th from 12 pm until 4 pm.

Raynard is an award-winning jeweler from Wide Ruins, AZ on the Navajo Nation. Rooted in his Diné traditions, Raynard is further inspired by exploring the outdoors and different cultures. His beautiful creations are displayed in many museum collections, including the Smithsonian, the British Museum, the Heard Museum, and the Museum of Man. His work has been sold in galleries worldwide.

“One of the most important [beliefs] is that of reciprocity. In this sense, I take great care and have the utmost respect for my creations, or my ‘children,’ as they also take care of my family and me. I talk to my ‘children’ and pray as I work with them. Each of these creations has a part of myself in it, and as a result of breathing life into each one, it has a character and soul all its own,” said Raynard.

Raynard, a father of four and grandfather of two, spends time with his family at home in Arizona, and at his studio in Santa Fe. He is grateful every day for the blessings bestowed upon us all and is humbled by the inspiration provided by Nature.

Rain is Raynard’s son, and though he’s only 21, he has already established himself as an artist to watch!

In Rain’s words: “I am a sculptor from the Pueblo of Acoma. My preferred medium to sculpt with is folded paper modules that are cut from an 8.5×11 inch sheet of paper. In all my sculptures, every folded module has a prayer within it. Like the cones on a jingle dress. I never sculpt when I have negative feelings because I believe that those feelings can manifest in your work and render a piece of art as less than ideal. I draw inspiration from my own experiences. From where I’ve been, where I am, and where I will be. Every opus is unique and never repeated.”

Rain’s pieces are usually larger in size, with many of them constructed of more than 5,000 individually folded pieces of paper. He has been recognized in the 2019 Heard Museum Guild Exhibition with a 2nd Place Ribbon for Sculpture, as well as multiple times at Santa Fe Indian Market.

We are excited to have this dynamic father and son duo in the gallery on October 5th, and we hope to see you there!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 18: Monty Claw and Family

With years of experience in multiple art forms, Navajo artist Monty Claw is a successful artist in many media. He is from Gallup, New Mexico, where he still resides with his family.

Monty is self-taught, and he briefly studied at The Institute of American Indian Arts. He currently works in jewelry, metalsmithing, painting, beadwork, and feather fan making. Monty has been featured in many publications, including The Smithsonian (NMAI) Magazine and Native Peoples Magazine.

Monty’s work is recently sought after by prominent collectors, museum board members, and major curators. You can find his art in museum collections around the globe, such as the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, The Denver Art Museum, The Sam Noble Museum, and Musée du quai Branly in Paris, France.

Monty’s jewelry includes works in silver and gold, occasionally set with precious stones and gems, like turquoise, coral, and diamonds. His stunning creations are of the highest quality, with artistic creativity, fine detail work, and a depth of design and sculptural definition that makes them come to life.

With the support of his family and peers, he continues to explore jewelry and metalsmithing, with a vision of his creating a path for his stories in the form of art. Though Monty only became a jeweler in 2011, he has been fortunate to take home awards from distinguished events like the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, and the Cherokee Art Market.

With the knowledge and experience he has accrued, and growth through his successes and challenges, Monty continues to evolve into one of today’s groundbreaking artists!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 15: Teddy Draper Jr. and Ophelia Garcia

Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 15: Teddy Draper Jr. and Ophelia Garcia!!

Teddy and Ophelia will be in our gallery on Friday, April 5th from 4 pm until 7 pm.

They will be in our studio on Saturday, April 6th from 11 am until 3 pm.

Teddy is offering a class, “Learnin’ with the Masters: A Pastel Workshop with Teddy Draper Jr.” from 3:30 pm until 7:30 pm on Saturday, April 6th.

This workshop will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Teddy will be able to accept eight students for the class, at the cost of $100 per student, which includes all materials and four hours of hands-on instruction provided by Teddy Draper Jr.

Click here to register!

*In the event of cancellation of this workshop, full refunds will be issued within seven (7) business days.

Teddy Draper, Jr. is the son of a WWII Navajo “Code Talker” Ted Draper, Sr. and has been the recipient of many prestigious awards for his art. He is a master of pastels and excels in oils, watercolor, and traditional and contemporary jewelry. The unique Draper pastel technique, constantly refined over more than thirty years, is his own personal style and his interpretation and artistic vision of what he calls “them unseen colors”. Ted resides on the rim of the Canyon de Chelly near his studio and gallery with his wife, noted jeweler Ophelia Garcia.

Ophelia is especially known for her curved bracelets, which seem to hug the wrist ergonomically. She uses the finest quality stones and is considered a master silversmith. Along with Teddy, she has been known to use the very rare Maw Sit Sit (only found in Burma) in her amazing pieces, a stone like no other. She and Teddy sometimes collaborate on pieces, as well as making their own jewelry separately from each other. Ophelia has won many awards for her gorgeous work, and is recognized worldwide for her unique style and flawless execution.

Join us for this unique event, you won’t want to miss it!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 14: JJ Otero

Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 14: JJ Otero!!

JJ will be in our studio on Saturday, March 9th from 12pm until 5pm.

JJ Otero is an artist on the rise! He has been known for his painting and woodwork, has won awards for his music, and now he is growing into an amazing silversmith!

JJ has developed his own aesthetic using different stamping techniques and heavy gauged silver and copper. His line stamping technique allows him to create detailed figures, deep symbolism, and memorable stories in every piece. JJ also titles every bracelet he makes so he can share his message; carved on the inside of each bracelet, the inner beauty is expressed in words instead of symbols.

JJ’s unique texturing technique gives his beautiful jewelry another dimension. His pieces each have an amazing depth and feel to them, exuding emotions and expressing his deep-rooted feelings and struggles. He will be doing a live demo during this event so he can share his process with us.

JJ’s sister, Cleo Otero, will be catering this event, giving it a true family feel! Cleo has been working professionally in the food industry for over 15 years and has a formal education in the culinary arts. She will be making a homemade meal for us, so you’ll definitely want to come and enjoy some amazing food!

This event will include a live stamping demo and music by JJ, as well as food by Cleo’s Catering, so make sure to join us for all the fun!!

J&T Inc & The House of Lyndon Annual Food Drive Raffle

Christmas is a time to be with friends and family and enjoy a good meal, but not everyone can do that. For the last 22 years, Navajo silversmith Lyndon Tsosie has raised money to buy boxes of food and personally deliver them to hungry families on the Navajo and Zuni Reservations.

Delivering these boxes requires an enormous amount of driving, often on unpaved roads. Lyndon and his family and friends do this on Dec 23 and 24, so that the families they visit will be able to enjoy both an abundant, healthy meal, and also a visit from a friendly face. Last year, some Navajo beauty queens and models, including Princess Sapphire, Sweetheart Malaysia, Baby Brooklyn and Sea Persinger, joined the team, and they will be on hand again this year to help lift the hearts of some deserving Navajo elders.

Want to help spread some of this Christmas cheer? Then purchase a Native Food Drive raffle ticket. $35 gets you a chance to win one of at least 15 different prizes, donated by Native artists and local businesses. Grand prizes is a sterling silver concho belt made by Lyndon himself, stamped with a classic Harvey Company thunderbird design.

Call or email us here at Wright’s to purchase a ticket, or two or three or more. The drawing will be in the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, here at the gallery, and will be broadcast live on Wright’s Facebook page. Credit cards and PayPal accepted.

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 11: Penny Singer

Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 11: Penny Singer!!

Penny will be in our studio on Saturday, November 3rd from 12pm until 5pm.

She will be providing us with a sneak peek at her brand new Fall fashion lines before she debuts them at the Autry Museum American Indian Arts Marketplace in November!

In Penny’s own words:

“The Penny Singer Collection is a line of unique handmade clothing and accessories that embraces the Native American Spirit and comes to market with clean lines, smart design, and a flavor all its own. My philosophy is that a garment should be the best that it can be, and I invest the time to ensure that the quality of every piece meets or exceeds the standards of the last. From handbags to ribbon shirts, my designs reflect who I am—free, unapologetic, and just plain “real.”

I create from the heart. Every time that I design a new piece, it is as if I am reconnecting with my Native Diné roots. Having grown up as an “Urban Indian” away from the reservation, it wasn’t until college that I discovered a broader perspective of what it means to be Native American and gained a view into traditional Native Ways.

Since then, I have spent time on the reservation, and when I travel to TecNosPos, Arizona, I am enveloped in my culture and able to take in new experiences each time. In turn, these experiences become woven into my work. It’s as if the thread used to sew my collection is spun with drive, determination, and the need to make people understand where I come from and the beauty in being Native. As a single mother, the thread pushing through the fabric is also a metaphor for stitching a wonderful life for me and my son.”

Beginning at 2pm, Penny will have a meet and greet session, so that you can get to know her and some of the amazing local models she works with. This will be followed by a mini-fashion show at 3:30pm. She will be available throughout the day to talk about her work and answer questions.

This promises to be a fantastic event, you won’t want to miss it!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 9: Shane Hendren

Wright’s Indian Art is proud to present Hangin’ with the Masters – Episode 9: Shane Hendren!!

Shane will be in our studio on Saturday, September 8th from 12pm until 5pm.

Delight your eyes and stimulate your brain with Navajo silversmith Shane Hendren. Shane has been selected by the Indian Arts and Crafts Association four times as their Artist of the Year, and today is part of the prestigious Jewelry Tech Team at Rio Grande Jewelry Supply, providing expert advice to jewelers all over the world.

Shane will be doing a demonstration of engraving, and will engage the audience in “light banter.”

We look forward to seeing you at this fantastic event!!

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 4: Joe Ben Jr. and Zach Ben

Hangin’ with the Masters, Episode 4, will take place on Friday, April 20th from 3 pm to 6 pm and Saturday, April 21st, from noon to 5 pm, with master Navajo sandpainters Joe Ben, Jr., and his son Zachariah Ben.

Joe and Zach are forces unto themselves in the world of Navajo sandpainting. They both sometimes produce delicate, intricate, detailed traditional sandpaintings, but are better known for pushing the boundries with their interpretations of traditional Navajo stories and figures.

Hangin’ with the Masters – Ep. 3: Fritz Casuse

We are excited to announce that Fritz Casuse will be at Wright’s for Episode 3 of our “Hangin’ with the Masters” series!

Fritz has won awards at the Heard Museum Fair and Market (a blue ribbon in 2013!), as well as the Santa Fe Indian Market. Fritz is well versed in many different forms of art and likes to encompass the beauty he sees in the world around him in his work.

He will be at Wright’s on Saturday, March 24th doing a live demo from 1 pm-3 pm, followed by discussion of his creative approach and the techniques he uses to craft his beautiful pieces. More information about this exciting event will be posted on our Facebook Page and in our email blasts before the show. Be sure to mark this wonderful event down on your calendar, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Tag: Navajo (Dine’)