Narciso Abeyta
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1918
Narciso P. Abeyta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ha So Deh 1918 Canoncito, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 1998 (aged 79–80) |
| Known for | Painting, silversmithing |
| Spouse | Sylvia Ann |
| Children | 7, including Pablita Abeyta, Tony Abeyta |
Narciso "Ciso" Platero Abeyta, or Ha So Deh (1918–1998) was a Navajo painter, silversmith and Navajo code talker. He is known for his colorful paintings depicting Navajo life.[1] His work is in the permanent collection of museums including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.[2]
Abeyta was born in 1918. He is named after his father, Narciso. His mother was Pablita.[3] He started drawing when he was eleven.[4] He attended the Santa Fe Indian School, starting in 1939. Dorothy Dunn was his teacher. Abeyta was a Golden Gloves boxer. He served in World War II in the United States Army,[5] as a code talker.[6] After he returned from service, he was unable to work for ten years due to his experiences at war.[7] Eventually, he attended the University of New Mexico. He trained under Raymond Jonson.[4]
Mid-life and career
Abeyta was primarily a painter. His paintings document Navajo life, and use brush stroke techniques that are reminiscent of Navajo rugs.[4] He had two known commissions for work as a muralist; a 1934 mural for a social science classroom in Santa Fe, New Mexico and in 1939 for Maisel's Indian Trading Post in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[8] He demonstrated painting at the 1939 San Francisco World's Fair[9]
Abeyta married Sylvia Ann, a Quaker ceramics artist.[7] They had seven children, including artists Tony Abeyta and Pablita Abeyta. The family lived in Gallup, New Mexico.[10]
Later life and legacy
Abeyta died on June 22, 1998, from a cerebral hemorrhage.[1]
His work is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of the American Indian,[2] and the Museum of New Mexico.[1]
Abeyta's paintings were included the book, Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art (1957, University of Arizona Press) by Clara Lee Tanner.
