Neil David Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil David
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Born | Polacca, Arizona, U.S.
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June 4, 1944
Nationality | Hopi Tribe |
Known for | Katsina carving |
Spouse(s) | Lena Charlie |
Neil Randall David Sr. is a famous American artist. He is well-known for carving special figures called katsinas. He learned how to carve from his grandfather, Victor Charlie.
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Neil David's Early Life
Neil David Sr. was born on June 4, 1944. This was on the Hopi Reservation in Polacca, Arizona. His father passed away before Neil was six years old.
His grandparents, Victor Charlie and Lena Charlie, were both artists. Victor carved katsinas, and Lena was a potter. They helped Neil become interested in art when he was very young. In 1948, his grandparents showed their art at a big fair in Chicago. The next year, they brought 5-year-old Neil with them.
Neil taught himself how to be an artist. In eighth grade, his art teacher was a famous artist named Fred Kabotie. After finishing school, Neil went to high school in Phoenix.
He sold his first katsina doll when he was a freshman in high school. A man named Byron Hunter bought it. Hunter owned a trading store in Polacca. He saw Neil's talent and encouraged him. Hunter bought many of Neil's drawings, paintings, and carvings. He then sold them through his store.
Neil David's Art Career
Neil David joined the US Army in 1965. He served in Germany until 1968. When he came home, he started painting and carving full-time.
He became famous across the country in 1971. His paintings and katsina doll carvings were featured in Arizona Highways magazine. This special issue was all about katsinas, which are important spirits to the Hopi people.
In 1972, Neil David Sr. helped start a group of Hopi artists called the Artist Hopid. Other members included Michael Kabotie and Terrance Talaswayma. Their goals were to make Hopi people proud of their culture. They also wanted to teach others about Hopi values. They used art to record Hopi history and events.
In 1974 and 1975, the group showed their art at many museums. These included the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Museum of Man in San Diego. In 1976, they received a grant. This allowed thirty-one of their paintings to tour across the country.
Capturing Hopi Life in Art
Neil David's art and his dedication to Hopi culture are closely linked. His work offers a special way to see parts of Hopi life. He understands his culture deeply. He can show realistic scenes of Hopi life, ceremonies, and katsina dances. He does this through his paintings and katsina doll carvings. Because of this, some people call him "the Hopis' Norman Rockwell."
David is known around the world for his drawings and carvings of the Koshare clown. The Koshare is a special type of clown in Pueblo traditions. He uses the funny actions of his clown drawings to tell stories. He is so connected to the Koshare that he once said, "I along with my patrons see me as associated—even infatuated—with this clown [Koshare], which is the subject of so much of my work."
Two of David's paintings were chosen for an exhibit called "About Face." This show featured self-portraits by Native American artists. It was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from 2005 to 2006. Both paintings showed his signature Koshare clown along with himself. One painting, Hopi Triple Self-Portrait, was seen as a key image for the whole exhibit.

Neil David continues to create his paintings and carvings. He lives on the Hopi Reservation in Polacca, Arizona.
Illustrations and Books
Neil David created 79 original paintings. These paintings were used for the book Kachinas, Spirit Beings of the Hopi. These paintings are now part of a museum collection in Japan.
David also drew all the pictures for Eric Bromberg's book, The Hopi Approach to the Art of Kachina Doll Carvings. Another book, Neil David's Hopi World, features over 40 of his pen and ink drawings. These drawings show his view of Hopi history and culture.
Awards and Recognition
In 2005, Neil David received the Arizona Indian Living Treasures AILTA award. This award honors American Indian people in Arizona for their lifetime achievements.
In November 2013, David was invited to Germany. He gave talks and showed his artwork there. He visited several museums and galleries. A documentary film about him, called Neil David Sr., A Smiling Hopi, was shown at a film festival in Germany in 2014. This festival was organized by UNICEF and other film institutes.