Ama' blessings

Hope you were able to enjoy festive blessings with your family on Mother's Day. Our family has always had strong ties to our 'mother's, for our 'Matriarchs' are the people who make our family whole and rich with family blessings.

This year my masani' will be 87 years old. So, we celebrated with her on Mother's Day with a feast of good food. She received many wonderfully colored flowers and card from her loved ones including her children and grandchildren.  I realize what a wonderful gift she is to all of  us. And, that her being in our lives in someway makes us better people.

I captured this image of her (hands) adorned in her cultural jewelry she years daily and her rose gift,

I hope you get a blessing from it and that it tells you a story of our 'matriarchs.'

Blessings

Nostalgic Tota' Art Mural

Mural Art in Tota'

Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Its funny how you can live in a place and never really 'see' all it has to offer; visually.

I've lived in my home community for the majority of my life and have always wondered why Tota' does not have more public art or mural art. My community is so rich with talented Dine' artists, from those who paint in the more traditional cultural motifs, to the new-visionary Indigenous art. So, I continue to ask, "Why is there not more mural art?"

This brings me to this post, as I have just found some incredible, and quite nostalgic mural art. This art is quiet wonderful in its depiction of Dine' (Navajo), done in the 1970s era of the Navajo Yei-Bi-Chei motif. I think what I really like about this mural is the pure linear 'crispness' of the images, and too the mix of good colors.

Seeing this mural gives me hope and inspires me to seek out funding for such art. As a visual artist, I feel it is my duty to be vigilant and speak up and about the Arts, especially Indigenous art.

This art hives me hope.

Blessings.

Past and present matriarchs

The hands of my maternal grandmother Jane
Photo by Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2017

As an Indigenous southwest desert woman, my language, my art, my daily rituals are rooted in the ways of my past and present matriarchs. I am them and they are me.  The modern existence of the Indigenous person is a sacred thing, we should all recognize this and send our gratefulness to our Creator God in our prayers.  This is the way we are to continue our existence in the 21st century and beyond, through gratitude and prayer.

As an adult, I realize how very blessed I am to have been born and raised among the many Dine' woman of my mother' s side of the family. I grew up in two households, that of my great grandmother Louise and also the home of my maternal grandmother Jane. My childhood was chaotic at times, but mostly it was full of the rich Navajo language and strong-willed, artistic, independent women and men.

Today I sat across from my ma'sani Jane (who raised me up as her own child) and I seen and felt the 'Beauty' of her way radiating from her.  In her hands alone she was a tangible example of our Dine' philosophy of  'Beautyway.' I know how blessed I am to have her in my life, she makes my life fuller and brighter.  Creator God has a plan for each and everyone of us, He knows our needs and makes a road for us to travel, one that has many things to teach us and help us to understand His ways.

I am blessed in this way.  To be able to be a caregiver for my ma'sani is good medicine. I look forward to each day I spend with her, and look forward to what history, or joke or just a smile she will gladly and freely share with me.

In a society that does not have much respect for the elderly, I know that much of my family is respectful to ways of the Navajo elder. This act of compassion and empathy for the Navajo elder in our lives is a way of de-colonization.  We as Indigenous people must carry on and perpetuate the old ways of our People, and care for our elders when they are in their 'golden' years.

Go hug your elder today! Tell them how much they are appreciated and loved.

Be Blessed in All your Ways.

My current works on paper

My current works on paper
ALL RIGHTS RERSERVED Venaya Yazzie 2017

Amidst a plethora of "WIP."

If you are not familiar with the acronym "WIP" it refers to the usual artist or creative-type as "work in progress" in reference to the perpetuation of their art piece(s).

I am in this state, as I am in preparation of upcoming summer Indigenous Art Markets. This image I one of many of my works I am in progress of. I have been working with diverse papers including archival types such as Arches and Cansons artist papers.

I am happy about this current state I am in.  I feel so very blessed.

Blessings in all things.

Indi.Ear Design Creation

Indi.Ear design creation
Photo by Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2017

Happy to present my newest Indi.Ear design creation.

These earrings are inspired by the mosaic-style of jewelry making of my Hopi ancestors.

The ways of my ancestors lead to much trade with other tribal groups in Mexico and the southern California Baha region near the Pacific ocean.

From that ancient commerce the high desert ancestors traded fine shell products, jet, turquoise, jade and feathers. They were thus inspired to make grand Indigenous items for personal adornment purposes. This history of jewelry-making and trade is monumental and talks volumes of human interaction by the People of the desert and of the ocean lands. Their narrative of the past continually inspires me.

These earring adornments are my news creation, and I am pleased with them, and the balance they speak.

They are available on my store site:

Indi.Ear Designs by Venaya

Blessings.

New Indi. Pendant Designs

New Indi. Pendant Designs now available at my site.

Indi. Necklace Pendant Designs

Metamorphasis of my Yazzgrl Art

Original Mixed Media Art (Diptych) by New Mexico artist, Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2017 Venaya Yazzie

My art has changed through the years. I started doing art markets as a "real" artist in 1996 - about one year after I graduate from the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

While a student at IAIA I was enroled in the Two-Dimensional Arts Program where I studied Photograpy. I worked with great Indigenous photographers as my instructors including Larry Mc Neal and Delilia Martinez, a Chicana photographer.

I never took a painting class while at IAIA, but instead painted after hours in the rustic art studios with friends who were painters.  I had a great mentor after I graduated from IAIA. He was and is a metal artist, and it is he who helped guide me and teach me the 'ropes' of what selling my art meant.

It has taken many years to get where I am now, I did all the hard work in establishing myself as a Dine'/Hopi Indigenous Woman Artist.  The task of finding my place in the Indigenous art world was tough, but I did it and I am still going steadfast.

This is one example of my mixed media art pieces. I have always adored the old historical photographs of my desert southwest people, and so it was easy for me to take inspiration from such strong matriarchal icons.

More of my work can be view at:

Venaya Yazzie Art

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Indi.Ears/ Necklace Designs

Indi.Ears/ Necklace Designs
Photo courtesy of artist, Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2017

Today I post a image of a recent necklace pendant I completed.

I call this series of jewelry my Indi.Ears/ Necklace Designs. The items include earrings, pendents and other wearable art. They are all inspired by the Southwestern cultural iconic women and various materials used often by both Navajo and Pueblo people who make jewelry, but also who use such items for ceremonial purposes. 

These items are made using a wood piece base. The imagery depicted on each piece celebrates either a Navajo, Pueblo or Apache woman historical image. I have always adored looking and studying such historical images, especially to gazed at their 'indigenous adornment' status.

Once I have settled on an image I then choose the additional materials to add to the piece. I use various cultural materials such as: abalone shell, heishe shell beads, turquoise, coral, jet among other items. Each jewelry piece has a grand narrative behind it.

If you would like to view more of my Indi.Ears/ Necklace Designs please visit my online gallery and store at:

Indi.Ears / Jewelry

Blessings