In the last post, I explained that I (Vera) joined Charnell in the Tahoma project in the year 2000.  We had many mysteries to unravel about the Navajo artist before we were even sure that it would be possible to assemble a book about Quincy Tahoma. After all, we needed more answers than questions if we were to produce something of value to the reader.

By 2004, we had received encouragement from people like Bruce Bernstein (then at the American Museum and now at SWAIA-Santa Fe Indian Market); Peter Iverson, professor and author of several books on the Navajo; Jim Bialac, leading collector of Indian art; Mark Bahti in Tucson and Ray Dewey in Santa Fe, both leading Indian traders….and the list kept growing.

But more important than encouragement, we had begun to assemble solid facts. Harrison Begay gave Mark Bahti information. Charnell had discovered Jean McSwain, who had been a girlfriend of Tahoma. Charnell discovered the connection between Tahoma and the Christian Brothers of Santa Fe. And the contacts continued to pile up as we filled in the timeline of his life.

We knew we had to publish, when in 2003, out of the blue, a local publisher’s acquisition editor asked if I had any book ideas. Then I met a university press editor and she was very interested in the book and early in 2004, offered us a contract. Soon after, I had the opportunity to talk to another regional publisher who had some interest, and also sent a proposal to a national publisher.  All of these fell through, but with favorable reviews from university reviewers, we could see that there was going to be interest in the book, so we kept filling in the blanks and started actually writing chapters.

We wrote an article that was published in American Indian Art magazine, wrote an article for the Santa Fe newspaper, and were interviewed by the Gallup Trader newspaper and the Navajo Times. And the web site for Tahoma drew more contacts and more information.

Ultimately we tried another private publisher and two more university presses–one of whom took nearly two years to make a final decision– before we found the right match.

But finally, we have found the perfect home for the Tahoma biography, Schiffer Books in Atglen Pennsylvania. Stay tuned as we prepare the manuscript, double check all the photographs of Tahoma’s paintings, and bring you a copy of Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist — a title which may change–another reason to stay tuned.

Please use the comment space to tell us what YOU would like to know about our research and writing of the Tahoma biography.  What do you find most interesting?  Or do you have something to add to our knowledge base? Join in the discussion. We would love to have you be a partner.

Tahoma always told people that he was from Tuba City. In fact he even signed a painting or two “Quincy Tahoma from Tuba City,” but we could find no birth records for him, and it took us a very long time to determine where he was born. Years, in fact.

One key resource came when we asked Mark Bahti to see if he could find out from his friend Harrison Begay if Begay knew anything about Tahoma. Bahti is the 2nd generation owner of Bahti Indian Arts in Tuson, and Harrison Begay used to stay with the Bahti family for a time each year. We knew Tahoma and Begay had both gone to school at Santa Fe Indian School. Since Navajos were a minority in the predominantly Pueblo Indian school, we figured Navajos might have stuck together.  Bahti wrote to Begay, and Begay sent a lengthy, hand-written letter back with all he could remember and find out about

Tahoma.  Unfortunately, he said, “I found out I didn’t know very much about Quincy Tahoma.”  We knew the feeling. Among the things he wrote to Bahti, was his recollection that Quincy was born not far from Tuba City in a place  near Elephant Feet. This was marginally helpful, since there are at least two Elephant Feet locations in Arizona on the Navajo Reservation, but one is near Tuba City.

We had a false lead when someone suggested that Tahoma was born at Shonto. I drove there and talked to people at the trading post, which is in the bottom of a pretty little canyon, but this was a dead end as far as information was concerned. We contacted Dr. William Adams, who grew up at Shonto and wrote about it, and he had no recollection of Tahoma being from there.

Our second big break came when Mark Rosacker of New Mexico found out about our work, and volunteered to help with research into Tahoma’s family.  Our third major source of information, which dove-tailed with Mark’s work, came from the United States National Archives in the Denver office, where they keep at least some of the school records from Santa Fe Indian School.  More about Mark and the archives in the another post.

Posted by Vera Marie Badertscher

Quincy the movie star? Yes, Quincy Tahoma did star in a movie, sort of. He walks, he paints, he wears jewelry. Artists Simon and Herta Moselsio, from Bennington College, traveled to Santa Fe in 1943 and made short films of the young artist.

In one film clip, Tahoma emerges from a hogan and carefully closes the door. He wears a Navajo rug slung over his shoulder and is weighed down with silver concho belt and heavy silver squash blossom necklace. In the next scene we see the artist seated at a table painting. The table is covered by a rug and he is still wearing all his finery as he paints. No reality prizes for props and costumes for this film!

The short films include brief shots of several paintings, and give the viewer a chance to see the painter in action as he deftly makes a rabbit appear with a few brush strokes. Amerind Foundation in southern Arizona showed two of the three films as part of their 2004 exhibit of Native American master painters. Tahoma’s master work, Going to the Sing, which included more than sixty individual figures, hung beside paintings by Andy Tsihnahjinnie and Harrison Begay and others.  The photo above was given to a girl friend three years after the actual filming of the movie.

We have not been able to find anyone from Bennington who accompanied the Moselsios on that trip in 1943. Might you know someone?  Have you seen the movie? Please share your experience with us.