Robert Chee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Chee
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| Hashke-Yil-Cale | |
Ettore DeGrazia, Harrison Begay, and Robert Chee (circa 1960) in Tucson, Arizona
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| Born | December 14, 1937 St. Michaels, Arizona, U.S.
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| Died | 1971 St. Michaels, Arizona, U.S.
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| Other names | Hashke-Yil-E-Cale |
| Spouse(s) | Louise |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Chee (1937–1971), also known by his Navajo name Hashke-Yil-Cale, was a talented Navajo artist. He was famous for his painting and printmaking (called serigraphy). He also worked as an illustrator and a weaver.
Early Life and Learning
Robert Chee was born on December 14, 1937, in St. Michaels, Arizona. When he was young, he went to school in Bellemont. People noticed his artistic talent early on. He started painting when he was just 10 years old.
Chee studied at the Intermountain Indian School. There, he learned from a famous artist named Allan Houser. Around 1951, he was part of Tewa Enterprises. This was a group of Native American artists who focused on printmaking.
Art Career and Achievements
From 1958 to 1961, Chee served in the United States Army. During this time, he painted murals at army bases. One of his murals was in Mainz, Germany.
Robert Chee won many awards for his art. In 1959 and 1960, he won first prize at the Navajo Tribal Fair. He also won at the Gallup Ceremonials in 1966. In 1963, Chee earned first prize at the Philbrook Art Center. This place is now known as the Philbrook Museum of Art.
Chee loved to work with watercolor paints. He often used darker paper, like black or blue, as a background for his art. He was known for his special "flatstyle" painting. This style came from the "studio-style" of painting. It was taught at Dorothy Dunn's art classes in the Santa Fe Indian School's Studio School.
Later in his career, Chee's paintings started to show more details. He would add hills or small plants coming from the ground. In 1969, he began using lighter paper, such as grey or white. This change gave a new feeling to many of his artworks.
Legacy and Collections
Robert Chee passed away in late 1971.
Today, you can find Chee's artwork in many public museums. Some of these include the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. His art is also in the Arizona State Museum, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, the Penticton Gallery, and the National Museum of the American Indian.
See also
