Shonto begay
Shonto begay was born on A navajo reservation sheep camp to his mother, a traditional rug weaver of Tonalea storm patterns and his father, a respected medicine man.
In addition to being a prolific painter, lecturer and author, Shonto is a spokesperson for environmental rights.he uses acrylic paint on a canvas to convey memories and his concerns about the environment and encroaching development. Shonto’s impressionistic brushstrokes depict moment in time. From images of hogans to the government boarding school he was forced to attend, to paintings of hitchhikers and mesas that seem to go on forever, his art balances the harsh realities of reservation life with the amazing beauty found among its people, canyons and mesas.
A professional artist since 1983, Shonto spends his time painting and speaking to audiences of all ages. His art has been shown in more than 50 shows in galleries and museums including the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe, the American Indian Contemporary Arts’s museum in San Francisco and Phoenix Art Museum.
The Fire Watchers, 20 X 16, Acrylic on Canvas
The Reading Branch, 24 x 18, Acrylic on canvas
Elder’s Advice, 14 x 11, Acrylic on canvas
Spring Wind, 14 x 11, Acrylic on canvas
Leading the Way, 10 x 10, Acrylic on canvas
High & Cold Moon, 10 x 10, Acrylic on canvas
Ancestral Glowing, 12 x 16, Acrylic on canvas
High Moon, 20 x 16, Acrylic on canvas
Council of Rose, 16 x 12, Acrylic on canvas
Passing through, 10 x 10, Acrylic on canvas
Oak Creek Descent, 24 x 20, Acrylic on canvas