.artist statement.
i. as a modern Indigenous artist my intentions are to perpetuate the continuous existence of my People's diverse ways of life, Our Indigenous epistemology in the 21st century. my work as a painter, photographer and poet is done to continue the Indigenous trek.
ii. reverence for God, his creation and nahasaan nihima, is the inspiration for my modern acrylic and mixed media works. the connection that I as a Dine' & Hopi woman hold to my past is a continual mantra in my daily dialogue and creative rituals.
iii. the conscious acknowledgement of my human senses allows for my efforts via my art to praise God, and thus to understand His divine presence in my life way. this amazing truth is sacred. this truth is maintained by prayer and thus continually inspires me. the truth of creation is another avenue of the sublime as I trek. pilgrimages to mountaintops, walks along the flowing rivers, viewing the glow of reservation sunrise & sunset: all take precedence in the human existence & ritual process of my art way.
iv. my adoration of southwest Indigenous tribal adornment, tribal language & the traditional Indigenous oral traditions of my ancestry has led me to the poetry road. it my belief that art should always tell a story. it is my hope that my work will thus 'continue the story.' I hope my work will stir discussion of contemporary issues of Indigenous identity, social justice, self-awareness, the relationship to the environment & innate cultural ties to tribal people and Our true historical past.
in a good way, venaya yazzie
.artist biography.
Venaya J Yazzie is a member of the eastern region of the Dine' nation in northwestern
New Mexico, USA. She is 'rooted' in the community of Huerfano, NM and Kinbeto'.
.
She is of the Hooghanlani' (Manyhogans) / To'dichiini (Bitterwater)
To'ahe'dleeni (Two Waters Flow Together) / Kisani (Hopi)
heritage from First Mesa from the lineage of her late father Herman Tinhorn.
Venaya is alumnus of the:
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts, A.A.
(Santa Fe, NM), Fort Lewis College, B.A. (Durango, CO) & University of New Mexico,
M.A. (Albuquerque, NM). Yazzie works in the educational field specializing in
the area of American Indian Education, and in the area of cultural education and history
and the Fine Arts.
She is a member of the Northwest New Mexico Arts Council of
the Four Corners and Navajo Heritage Museum Board.
In 2021 Venaya was invited to serve on the Native American Advisory Council for
the Detroit Museum of Arts.
She currently is the host of the podcast Native Art Voices of the 4Corners, which is hosted
KSJE San Juan College community radio.
.selected exhibitions.
1994-1995 Legends in the Making: Student Art Show
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts Museum Santa Fe, NM
1996 Mitakuye Oyasin, We are all Related - Graduating Class Exhibition -
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts Museum, Santa Fe, NM
1998 Grand Opening Gallery Show - A. Teasyatwho Gallery, Aztec, NM
1998 Two Artists Show: Sculptor & Painter -The Flavored Cup Coffeehouse & Gallery,
Farmington, NM
2003 Celebrating Native American Women Artists: IAIA Alumni Show -
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts Museum, Santa Fe, NM
2004 Contemporary Navajo Art: One Night Show- Navajo Studies Conference,
Toh-Atin Gallery, Durango, CO
2005 Heard Museum Film Festival - Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
2005 Circle of the Spirit: Navajo & Tibetan Wisdom for Living - Center of Southwest
Studies, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
2005 Four Navajo Women Artists: 4 Visions”- Henderson Fine Arts Gallery, Tota, NM
2005 Contemporary Navajo Art: Creativity is Our Culture -Geneo Indian Sch., Geneo, NE
2005 Visions: Three Navajo Women Artists -
Awheeh Gohweeh Coffeeshop & Gallery, Shiprock, NM
2005 Ninth Annual First Nations Film & Video Festival -American Indian Center,
Chicago, IL
2006 Native Student Art Camp Show: Native Art -Henderson Fine Arts Gallery,
Farmington, NM
2006 ICON: Visual Expressions of the Sacred -St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Durango, CO
2006 Images of the Southwest Photography Show -Center of Southwest Studies Museum
Gallery, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
2006 Rev the Rez: Contemporary Artists -
Awhééh Gohwééh Coffeeshop & Gallery, Shiprock, NM
2007 Native Student Art Camp Show: Native Art - Henderson Fine Arts Gallery,
Farmington, NM
2007 Modern Day Warriors Benefit Art Show - NARF, Boulder, CO
2007 Show Reaction Group Show-Lost Dog, Durango, CO
2007 Four Corners Visionary Art - Cloudwatcher Studio/Gallery, Bluff, UT
2008 Our Story: Native Relationship to Place -Redding, CA
2008 Contemporary Navajo Art - Farmington Civic Center, Farmington, NM
2008 ICON: Visual Expressions of the Sacred - St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Durango, CO
2008 Political Sidebar Art Show - Durango, CO
2008 Second Annual Native Spirit Festival: Film & Video Festival of the Indigenous
Peoples of the Three Americas - Rudolf Steiner House, London, England UK
2008 Modern Day Warriors Benefit Art Show -
Native American Rights Fund, Santa Fe, NM
2008 Connections: Earth + Artist= A Tribute Art Show in Resistance to Desert Rock -
Center of Southwest Studies Museum Gallery, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
2009 Aldea de Artisticas - Gallery Show-Tubac, AZ
2009 Voices over the Mountains –Two Women Show - Café Passe, Tucson, AZ
2009 Writer/Artist: Three Dine Women Show - Desert Pearl Gallery, Cortez, CO
2009 Neo Navajo: Solo Show- Andrea Kristina’s Bookstore & Café, Farmington, NM
2009 The Sacred Art Installation - Durango Arts Center, Durango, CO
2012 Pretty Tough: Gender in the 21st Artmaking -Eileen Braziel Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2012 Indigenous Brilliance Contemporary American Indian Art Exhibition
Traveling Group Exhibition - Highgate Gallery, Highgate, London,UK,
2013 Chikééh Ba Hózhó - Contemporary Art by Native Women
Navajo Nation Museum, Window Rock, AZ
2013 Celebrating Nitsahakees, Nahat'a, Iina, Siihasin: From Traditional Aesthetics to
Contemporary Navajo Art, Ned Hatathli Center Gallery, Tsaile, AZ
2013 Indigenous Brilliance Contemporary American Indian Art Exhibition
Traveling Group Exhibition - Palazzo Vecchio -Via della Zecca,
Principality of Seborga, Italy
2013 The Spirit of Women - Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center, Ignacio, CO
2013 TIME project Yádiłhił bee'askłóó - Binding Sky
Interactive Art Installation, Navajo Nation, AZ, NM/ Santa Fe, NM
2014 Imago Mundi: Luciano Benetton -Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy
2014 Indigenous Brilliance Contemporary American Indian Art Exhibition
Traveling Group Exhibition - The Veronica Ship NDSM Wharf,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
2015 Narrative Witness: Indigenous Peoples, Australia-US - University of Iowa -IA
Website: www.iwpcollections.org/nw2-venaya-yazzie
2015 Indigenous Brilliance Contemporary American Indian Art Exhibition
Traveling Group Exhibition, Casa de la Cultura de Olocau, Valencia, Olocau, Spain
2015 NDGNSX- Gallery Fake
Eileen Braziel Art Advisors & Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2015 ‘on behalf of water’ – Dine Art & The Gold King Mine Spill - The Smiley Building,
Durango, CO
2016 'on behalf of water II' - Dine Art & The Gold King Mine Spill - The New Mexico
Water Resources Research - Institute, San Juan College, Tota', NM
2016 Creative Nation Group Show - Ellsworth Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2016 ‘on behalf of water II’ – Dine Art & The Gold King Mine Spill - Center of Southwest
Studies, Durango, CO
2017 ‘Musing the Matriarch – Dine artists' - Henry Strater Theatre, Durango, CO
2017 Creative Nation Group Exhibition - Ellsworth Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2017 IM: Edge Group Exhibition - Santa Fe Convention Center, Santa Fe, NM
2017 Hope and Trauma in a Poisoned Land - Group Show - Coconino Center for the Arts,
Flagstaff, AZ (Exhibition opens in August 2017)
2018 Uranium: Ignominious Legacy on The Colorado Plateau - Firecreek Coffee
Company, Flagstaff, AZ
2018 Second 2 Fourth Series: The Worlds of Ancestral Bird Relatives - The Farm Bistro &
Lounge, Cortez, CO
2018 Activism in Art - IM: Edge Contemporary Group Exhibition, Santa Fe Convention
Center, Santa Fe, NM
2018 Peach Tree Project - Navajo Churro Wool Inspired Designs, Group Exhibition, Gallery
Fritz, Santa Fe, NM
2020 The High Desert Matriarch: A Confluence of Indigenous Women, Art and Earth,
Firecreek Company, Flagstaff, AZ
2021 Resilient Matriarchy: Indigenous Women's Art in Community,
Virtual Exhibition, Open Doors Art in Action, Flagstaff, AZ
2021 'Visit with Respect' Mural, Friends of Cedar Mesa and
Tse' Kooh Outfitters, Bluff, UT
2022 Indigenous Brilliance: Cultural without Compromise, Group Exhibition,
North Fourth Art Center, Albuquerque, NM