Nathan Scott Begaye | |
---|---|
Born | 1969 |
Died | December 2010 [1] |
Nationality | Navajo and Hopi |
Education | Institute of American Indian Art (Santa Fe, New Mexico), New York State College for Ceramics at Alfred University. |
Known for | ceramics |
Movement | Postmodernist Indian Pottery |
External images | |
---|---|
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Nathan Begaye (1969–2010) was a Native American ceramics artist of Navajo and Hopi descent.
Nathan Begaye was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1969 to a Navajo father and a Hopi mother. [2] He was raised by his maternal grandparents in the Third Mesa and Tuba City, Arizona. [2] His aunt was noted Hopi potter Otellie Loloma. His upbringing in the Navajo/Hopi communities was steeped in tribal traditions, and he was schooled in the lore, history, religion, symbolism, and customs of the Navajo and Hopi peoples. [2]
Begaye's interest in pottery began early, at age 10, and he had his first public exhibition only one year later. [3] He learned traditional techniques and pigment recipes from people in his tribal community, both Navajo and Hopi. [2] As they were tribal secrets, he kept these to himself even when he became a teacher later in life. [2] After receiving a SWAIA scholarship, [4] he left home at age 14 to study ceramics at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM. [2]
Although his upbringing was very conservative, Begaye used unexpected and unorthodox techniques in his work. [2] Said to utilize a "maverick sense of form, texture, color, and design," [5] Begaye's work was often personal and autobiographical. [2]
Nathan Scott Begaye | |
---|---|
Born | 1969 |
Died | December 2010 [1] |
Nationality | Navajo and Hopi |
Education | Institute of American Indian Art (Santa Fe, New Mexico), New York State College for Ceramics at Alfred University. |
Known for | ceramics |
Movement | Postmodernist Indian Pottery |
External images | |
---|---|
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Nathan Begaye (1969–2010) was a Native American ceramics artist of Navajo and Hopi descent.
Nathan Begaye was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1969 to a Navajo father and a Hopi mother. [2] He was raised by his maternal grandparents in the Third Mesa and Tuba City, Arizona. [2] His aunt was noted Hopi potter Otellie Loloma. His upbringing in the Navajo/Hopi communities was steeped in tribal traditions, and he was schooled in the lore, history, religion, symbolism, and customs of the Navajo and Hopi peoples. [2]
Begaye's interest in pottery began early, at age 10, and he had his first public exhibition only one year later. [3] He learned traditional techniques and pigment recipes from people in his tribal community, both Navajo and Hopi. [2] As they were tribal secrets, he kept these to himself even when he became a teacher later in life. [2] After receiving a SWAIA scholarship, [4] he left home at age 14 to study ceramics at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM. [2]
Although his upbringing was very conservative, Begaye used unexpected and unorthodox techniques in his work. [2] Said to utilize a "maverick sense of form, texture, color, and design," [5] Begaye's work was often personal and autobiographical. [2]