Jolene Yazzie facts for kids

Jolene Nenibah Yazzie is an American artist who creates amazing comic art. She is known for her bright and colorful drawings, especially of Native American women shown as strong warriors.

Growing Up and Discovering Art

• Born in Lupton, Arizona, Jolene Yazzie grew up surrounded by art.
• Her brother first introduced her to art when she was very young.
• She later studied graphic design at Collins College.
• She also attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• As a child, Jolene loved reading comics. She noticed that there were not many women superheroes, except for Wonder Woman. This made her want to create her own strong female characters.

Artistic Inspiration

Navajo Culture and Storytelling

• Jolene Yazzie's art is deeply inspired by Navajo culture and the tradition of storytelling.
• She sees how comic books and traditional Navajo stories both tell a narrative.
• She believes that many Navajo creation stories are like the superhero tales we see in pop culture today.

Strong Women in Art

• Jolene's mother and sister were very important people in her life.
• Her mother worked to help women who were facing difficult times.
• These experiences greatly influenced how Jolene sees women in her art.
• The women in her artwork reflect her mother and other strong women she knows.
• Jolene wants to create powerful female figures that people can look up to.
• She hopes her art helps inspire others to find their own inner strength.

How She Creates Her Art

• Jolene Yazzie uses many different ways to make her art.
• She often uses computer programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Flash to create her digital artwork.
• She also puts her designs on skateboards, making her work truly unique.
• The bright colors and strong contrasts in her art show the power she wants her warrior women to have.

Art Exhibitions

• Jolene Yazzie's artwork has been shown in big exhibitions.
• One of her largest shows was called Comic Art Indigene.
• This exhibition was displayed at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.
• Jolene's art was even used for many of the posters and advertisements for the show.