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Shonto Begay is a talented Native American artist, writer, and teacher. He started his art career in 1983. His artwork often shows beautiful landscapes and important cultural parts of Navajo life.

About Shonto Begay

Shonto Begay was born on February 7, 1954, near Shonto, Arizona. He is part of the Diné tribe. His mother was a Navajo weaver, and his father was a medicine man. When he was a baby, he received a traditional Navajo name during a special ceremony. The government gave him the name "Wilson," but he later changed it to Shonto, which was his great-great grandmother's name.

Shonto grew up with fifteen brothers and sisters. His family lived in three hogans, which are traditional Navajo homes. These homes did not have running water or electricity. As a child, he spent his time herding sheep, reading, and drawing. He didn't think art could be a job until high school because he thought everyone could draw!

He went to a boarding school near Flagstaff. At these schools, Native American children were often expected to give up their culture and learn Western ways. Shonto and other kids were not allowed to show their culture and were punished if they did. Art became his secret way to cope with school life. He said painting was like "removing myself from harsh reality and living in that world of beauty I have the power to create with my hand." During summer, he went home and spent time learning about his culture.

After boarding school, Shonto went to the Institute of American Indian Arts. He earned a degree in fine arts in 1976. Then, he studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts and got his bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

Shonto Begay worked as a National Parks ranger in Arizona and Wyoming. In 1983, he started painting full-time. He later moved back to his Navajo homeland in Arizona. Today, he lives in Kayenta. He creates his art in a hogan about 30 miles from his home. He also teaches art workshops to young people. He believes that "art saves lives."

Shonto Begay's Art

Art Style and Themes

Shonto Begay's paintings show many parts of Native American life. He paints the landscapes of his reservation. He also shows the spiritual stories and culture of the Diné people. His art also shares the real challenges of life on the reservation.

Some people compare his art to a style called social realism. This means his art shows real-life issues and doesn't just make Native life seem perfect. His style has also been compared to famous artists like Vincent van Gogh. But Shonto believes his style is his own. He says his painting style comes from the "rhythm of late-night chants, songs, and of course, the creation of holy sand paintings." He feels that each brushstroke, line, and color is like a "syllable" to the sacred words he grew up with.

A special thing about Begay's art is how light often shines through. This light makes parts of the painting glow. One art critic said this light helps balance the beauty with the painting's message.

Special Artworks

Helpless

This painting shows a scene from above. You see a group of people lying on the floor, looking unconscious. Only a small kitten is awake, looking up at you, the viewer. A person's shadow is seen holding a door open, watching. Shonto says the cat looking at you means there is still hope, even in a confusing world. The shadow represents your choice: "Do I step into this confusion and embrace it, or do I stay out of the light?"

Losing My Spirit For Salvation

This painting shows a man coming out from the side of a mesa (a flat-topped hill). The mesa has swirls and lines. In the background, you can see etched angels. The man represents Shonto himself. He says this painting shows his feelings about both Navajo spiritual beliefs and Christianity. The man comes out of the mesa because the stories of Christianity are "alluring" to him.

Nightwalker

This painting shows a starry night sky with snow on the ground. A see-through figure walks through the snow. Shonto says this painting "tickles the spirit world." It shows people who have passed away but are still walking on the land they belonged to.

Art Shows

Solo Shows

Group Shows

  • "Modern West Holidays", Modern West Fine Art Gallery (Salt Lake City, Utah), 2019–2020.
  • "The Western Sublime: Majestic Landscapes of the American West", Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block (Tucson, Arizona), 2019–2020.
  • "Into a New West", Briscoe Museum (San Antonio, Texas), 2019.
  • "Six Navajo Masters", Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art Gallery, 2019.
  • "Native Voices", Modern West Fine Art Gallery (Salt Lake City, Utah), 2017.
  • "Native American Portraiture", Rainmaker Gallery (Bristol, England), 2015.

Where to See His Art

Shonto Begay's artwork is part of these collections:

Awards and Honors

Shonto Begay has received many awards for his work:

  • 2022 Honor for The Water Lady
  • 2020 Viola Legacy Award
  • 2015 Best of Flag Award (Local Artist)
  • 2015 Viola Award for Excellence in the Arts
  • 2008 1st place in Painting, Santa Fe Indian Market
  • 1993 Best Arizona Artist
  • 1993 Arizona Author Award
  • 1991 Owl Award For Illustration
  • 1988 Reading Rainbow Award (for The Mud Pony)

Books and Illustrations

Books He Illustrated

  • The Mud Pony (1988)
  • The Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn (1994)
  • The Magic of Spider Woman (1996)
  • Navajo Long Walk: The Tragic Story of a Proud People's Forced March from Their Homeland (2002)
  • Soldier Sister, Fly Home (2016)
  • The Water Lady (2021)

Books He Wrote and Illustrated

  • Ma'ii and Cousin Horned Toad (1992)
  • Navajo: Vision and Voices Across the Mesa (1995)
  • Strawberry Pop and Soda Crackers (1997)

Books He Contributed To

  • Collective Willeto: The Visionary Carvings of a Navajo Artist (2002)
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