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Wilma Baca
Jemez

Wilma Baca, “New Wheat”, is a full blooded Native American Indian. She was born into the Pueblo of the Jemez in 1967. Wilma was inspired to make pottery by her grandmother, Marie Reyes Shendo. Marie taught Wilma all the fundamentals of constructing pottery using ancient methods passed down to her from her ancestors. Wilma experimented with clay at the age of 5. She hand coils small bowls and outdoor ovens, and has continued to enjoy working with clay.

Wilma specializes in the natural hand coiled and etched Jemez pottery. Wilma gathers her clay from the grounds within the Jemez Pueblo. Then, she soaks the clay, grinds the clay, sifts, mixes, hand coils, shapes, paints, etches her pottery, and finally, fires her pottery outdoors using the wood chip firing method. She has been etching on pottery since 1989, and she does all the etching free hand. She doesn’t use templates at all. Her favorite pottery piece to coil is the wedding vase, because of its meaning: “The spouts representing two separate lives, the bridge at the top part unites these separate lives as one.” Wilma signs her pottery as: Wilma L. Baca, followed by the corn sign.

Wilma is also related to the following artists: Carol Vigil, Imagene Shendo (cousins) and Mildred Shendo.

Awards:

-2000 New Mexico State Fair 1st Place

Joseph Begay
Navajo

Joseph Begay is a full blooded Native American Indian born into the Navajo Nation in 1964. He learned the art of carving on stones from his friend, Jeff Lewis. Joseph began carving on stone at the age of 22. The lucrative aspect of the business played a key roll in him becoming an fine artisan. It is his primary resource of income to support his family.

Joseph works with natural materials found through out the southwest. The materials that he primarily carves from are: alabaster, serpentine, picasso marble, jet, dolomite, amber, argyte, and sillonite. His distinctive animals include life-like representations of bears, turtles, eagles, coyotes, buffalos, and several others. His carvings are enhanced by either a solid or multi-color inlaid heartline or a prayer bundle containing arrows, feathers, and heshi that he places on the backs of his carvings. Joseph is proud and honored to be artistically gifted with this special talent. He is also extremely enthusiastic about sharing his carvings with all who respect and appreciate his artistic abilities and his cultural background. He signs his carvings as: J.B.

Animal Characteristics:

Badger-ability to reach a desired goal
Bear- strength, inner power to perceive ones present circumstances.
Beaver-progressive builder, one who promotes family unity.
Buffalo-steadfast endurance ot rise above one’s weakness
Coyote-ability ot laugh at one self, humor
Eagle-a soaring spirit that transcends personal problems, a connection to the divine.
Fox-camouflage, protection.
Frog-able to petition the spriits to bring forth abundant rain.
Horse-one of only two fetishes that have innate healing powers.
Mountain Lion-leadership, resourcefulness.
Ram-Used to procure an increase of herds.
Raven-this bird’s beak is scratched across an afflicted person’s skull releasing its healing powers.
Turtle-a symbol of long, meaningful life.
Wolf-teacher, path finder on the never ending journey for survival.

Wallace N. Begay
Navajo

Wallace N. Begay was born and raised at Tolani Lake , AZ just east of the San Francisco Peaks . Begay herded sheep as well as tended the family’s cattle and horses. Begay was born in 1957 during the early stages of the modernization of the Navajo reservation. Like many other Navajo kids, Begay attended a BIA Boarding school at Leupp , AZ. During his immersion in the English culture, Begay began to draw using charcoal, pencil and eventually watercolors. Quincy Tahoma and Harrison Begay had achieved prominence in Indian art with their flat “Bambi” style of paint application. Many young Navajo artists emulated this technique, including Begay. However, Begay gradually began experimenting with texture created by charcoal. When Begay left Boarding School for High School at Windowrock, he had a substantial amount of training in the use of graphite, charcoal and watercolors. Art classes at Windowrock opened new avenues of art in acrylic and oil painting, etching basic sculpture. Begay won many awards and began to sell his pieces.

After High School, Begay attended college at Arizona State University where he was noted for his watercolor paintings. Begay left ASU temporarily and graduated from Maricopa Community College with an AA degree. Again, his art won student art shows. He later finished his studies in marketing at ASU. Begay worked as an Art Director for a feature magazine called “Navaho”. Shortly after that, Begay returned to college at the University of Arizona in Tucson where he was a senior majoring in painting and sculpture.

Awards:
Begay has won several first prize awards beginning in 1982 at Gallup New Mexico ’s Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Art Show, including one for pencil during the 1996 show. He has also won best in oil and watercolor categories at the Museum of Northern Arizona ’s Navajo Show. Begay has won numerous recognition awards from the city of Gallup , New Mexico , University of Arizona Navajo County Fair and the Affiliation of Arizona Indian Centers, Inc. of Phoenix , AZ. Begay’s work has been featured in publications such as ENDURING TRADITION: Art of the Navajos by Lois and Jerry Jacka.

Art Style and Philosophy:
“The perpetuation of the Navajo language and culture is important. I believe Native Americans have yet to see their true place in the modern art world as Chagall, Rivera O’Keffee, or Dali. My images are more surrealistic: realistic images in a deliberate dreamscape. I use traditional symbols to talk about the erosion of our culture but only to draw attention, discussion and hopefully resolution. I use painting, scratch board etching, graphite, wood and stone to express these ideas. Being a Native American artist of my generation carries a responsibility of communicating with the younger generations. They look to us for answers and inspiration. If we project the same clinched images, and worry only about the marketability on our art, we will fail. Our responsibility is to teach and carry on the culture, to replace our elders, but in this case, with the education of modern America .” W.N. Begay

Westly Begaye
Navajo

Westly Begaye is a full blooded Native American Indian born in 1965 into the the Navajo Nation. Westly married into the Acoma Pueblo and he was inspired to continue the family tradition of working with clay from the late Marie Francis Vallo (wife) from the Acoma Pueblo. Marie taught Westly all the fundamentals of hand coiling Acoma styled pottery. He was also inspired by another fine artist by the name of Jorome Tiger, a Native American artist from Oklahoma , who is a fine painter. Westly has been working with art since the age of 12. However, he has been working with pottery since 1994.

Westly specializes in the handmade and hand painted Acoma style of pottery. However, he combines a contemporary flare to his pottery. He paints many different traditional designs, kokopelli (god of fertility), animals, and mimbres designs. He works with handmade pottery and ceramic pottery. Westly’s experience with crossing cultures and continuing to invent new ideas has established him as a fine artisan. He signs his pottery as: Westly Begaye, title of pottery, and year when it was constructed. He is related to Arthur C. Begay who is a Navajo painter.

Awards:

-1999 New Mexico State Fair 1st Place
-New Mexico State Fair various years

Sasha Bluesky
Navajo

Sasha Bluesky is a full blooded Native American Indian. He was born in 1972 into the Navajo Nation. Sasha grew up with solid Southwestern traditions and many different styles of art. His mother owned a shop in the Old Town Plaza and Sasha was introduced to clay art at a very young age. While Sasha Visited his mother at her store, he would wander for hours studying and admiring the beautiful art surrounding him. He credits Joseph Lonewolf for his interest in becoming an artisan. Joseph’s work always inspired him and he wanted to develop his own style of miniature art and become just a famous. He learned all the fundamentals of working with clay by asking questions and experimenting with natural pigments on his own. He also is a professional tattoo artist.

Sasha specializes in handmade stone polished, hand carved, and hand painted miniature clay art. His carvings include kachinas, animals, and feather patterns. He enjoys nature and that’s where his inspiration and creativity come from. He also enjoys working with miniature art because the challenge of working with clay becomes more intricate and minute. The details, shapes, and carvings within each piece is simply spectacular once completed. He signs his pottery as: Sasha Bluesky, Navajo. He is related to Whirling Wind who is his father.

Awards:

- New Mexico State Fair

Birdell Bourdon
Santa Clara - Tewa

Birdell Bourdon, “Vine Flower”, was born in 1957 into the Santa Clara-Tewa Pueblo. Birdell was motivated and inspired to continue the long lived family tradition of hand coiling pottery using ancient methods from her Mother, the late Marie Sisneros. Marie was a Professor at the World College in Las Vegas , New Mexico . Marie taught Birdell all the fundamentals of pottery making the traditional way of her ancestors. Birdell has been making pottery since the of age 10. The lucrative aspect of the business encouraged Birdell to become an artist.

Birdell specializes in the hand coiled Santa Clara black polished pottery. She gathers clay from the Tribal clay pits within the Santa Clara Pueblo. Then, she cleans, mixes hand coils, shapes, and fires her pottery the traditional way, outdoors with saw dust. She coils many different sizes and shapes, like wedding vases and bowls. She also makes melon patterns on her pottery. Birdell is a fine potter whose art is crafted very well. She is presently mentoring her children with the traditional ways of making pottery so they too may have a prolific future artistically if they need to fall back on the business of making pottery. Birdell signs her pottery as: Birdell, Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico.

Publications:

-Working with Clay
-Collections of Southwestern Pottery
- Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies

Cyndee Sandia Brophy Toledo
Jemez/Tesuque

Cyndee Sandia Brophy Toledo, “New Snow”, member of the Sun Clan, was born in 1957. She is half Jemez and half Tesuque. Cyndee was inspired to continue the family tradition of pottery making by several of her family members. Tradition is an extremely high priority in her life. At the age of 10 she began experimenting with pottery. When she reached the age of 18 her interest in pursuing a career as an artisan had become much stronger.

Cyndee specializes in handmade natural story pots and natural seed pots. She constructs her pottery by the “pinch & coil” method. She gathers all her materials from within the hills of the Jemez Pueblo. She hand cleans the clay, mixes, hand pinches, shapes, paints and fires her pottery, outdoors. Every piece of her pottery tells the story of the circle of life. The birds of paradise reflect the male courting the female with flowers. Baskets filled with food represent the food of life. The rain represents showers of blessings. The elegant swans represent the gracefulness of life, hummingbirds and insects represent pollination for fullness in life in all the directions of the wind within the steps of life. Cyndee has established herself an a fine artisan, and continues to grow with experience as time passes on. Cyndee is related to Art & Rose Sandia (parents). She signs her pottery as: Cyndee Brophy, Jemez , NM , followed by a title of her work and year it was made.

Awards:

-1978 Towa Arts Honorable Mention
-1979 Towa Arts Honorable Mention
-1981 Towa Arts Honorable Mention

Publications:

-Miniature Arts of the Southwest
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies