Elmer Yazzie, Navajo Artist, Inspired by Tahoma

Painting by Elmer Yazzie

In the final chapter of the book Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist, we quote some American Indian artists who admired and were influenced by Tahoma.  But we had never met Navajo Artist Elmer Yazzie of Shiprock, New Mexico, until he left this comment here at the blog a couple days ago:

Thank you for the love you have for Tahoma’s art and life. I used to enjoy his work I came across when I was in boarding school near Gallup. I would use his paintings to inspire my work. Now, I work professionally as an artist and an art educator.

I wrote to Elmer Yazzie to thank him for the comment and asked him to tell us some more. Here’s what he said:

I remember Quincy Tahoma as one of the modern Dine’ painters. People like him broke the ice for the rest of us. His work inspired my early drawings of horses and the land.  I grew up in Shiprock.  There are actually two Elmer Yazzie’s from Shiprock and we  both do art.  The other one is about 63 years old.  I am 56.

Elmer Yazzie, The Teacher, a giclee print

Well, now isn’t that something! We knew that Yazzie (meaning little one) is a pretty common name among Navajo people, but here are two artists, who are not related to each other, coming from the same town–that was a bit of a surprise. You can see more of this Elmer Yazzie’s art at this Calvin College website, and read about him here, at the Navajo Ministries site.

According to the web article by the college where he got his B.A. in Art Education, Elmer makes his brushes from yucca leaves, just one of the ways he reverts to traditional ways. His paintings reflect both Christian and Diné spirituality. He teaches art at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy in Oro Valley, Arizona.

Elmer agreed to answer a few more questions for us, and to let us share two of his beautiful paintings with you.

Elmer Yazzie

VMB:  ”When were you first aware of Quincy Tahoma’s paintings?”

E.Y.: I first became aware of Quincy Tahoma’s art in junior high boarding school.

VMB: Where did you see his paintings?

E.Y.:  I saw his art in a color booklet that was at boarding school.

VMB: What in particular about his drawings of horses and the landscape was inspiring to you?

E.Y.:The tremendous use of line emotion was what inspired me.

VMB: What do the students you teach think about the painters like Tahoma who attended the Studio at Santa Fe Indian School?

E.Y. My students like the quality of line and control of color.  The precise clean edges impresses them.

Are you an artist or student who has been inspired by Tahoma? Do you know an artist we should talk to about Tahoma. Let us know. And remember, you get a chance on our two great prizes, by clicking on Networked Blogs over there on the right. Those folks are looking kind of lonely.