Acrylic Painter and Mixed-Media Artist: Peterson Yazzie

Also hailing from the Navajo Nation is acrylic painter and mixed media phenom, Peterson Yazzie. Peterson is the focus of our artist spotlight this month, as we exhibit nearly a dozen of his new works. When discussing his inspiration for these pieces, and the materials and methods used, he said:

"The textured mixed media pieces are created using acrylic and sand. I blend the mediums to have an impasto quality. I am always exploring new possibilities in painting, whether it's in technique, genre, or the medium. I believe a true artist will always search for that new horizon, and that is what makes art so exciting for me. I do not have a formula approach to painting, or text book process. The paintings all come from a center point of my very being, and I don't have to search high and low for my subject matter; I am simply true to what I create."

Peterson Yazzie is from Greasewood Springs, Arizona; he was born in Ft. Defiance, Arizona in 1979. Peterson is of the Mexican Clan, One Who Walks Around Clan, Red House, and Coyote Pass Clan. Peterson received a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has continued his education for a Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of New Mexico.

Renaisannce Man - Todd Bordeaux (Lakota)

I first met Todd at the Heard Indian Museum Fair and Market in 2007. I remember being strictly focused on finding "new" work by artists I either hadn't seen or dealt with before. Todd was both. Being pushed and prodded - which, after all, is the custom at the Heard - I had barely enough time to grab a card and exclaim my appreciation for his work. I didn't know if he would remember me, but two weeks later when I got an email from "Lakota Shadows," I was delighted to think we might start working together.

It was Todd's encouragement that lead me to the Northern Plains Indian Art Market in Sioux Falls, South Dakota later that year. An underrated show to be sure, I was thrilled with the caliber of the artists present, and managed to walk away with the majority of the award-winners that weekend, including Todd's Best of Class (Fine Art), titled "Victory at Greasy Grass."


This beautiful ledger recaptures the past and forges into the future by combining ledger art with beadwork applique. Todd is the only artist I know of working in this manner, but his ingenuity doesn't stop there. He is well known for his humorous and satirical "Indian Time" bracelets, made from a shiny Timex shell, without its parts. Instead of hands that keep track of hours and minutes, Todd's "watch" presents a myriad of colors and dimensions, allowing both the wearer and admirer the opportunity to get lost in Indian time.

Most recently, Todd delivered a custom Buffalo knife - fashioned in the traditional manner, but adorned in a contemporary fashion with inlaid mammoth ivory and crushed pipe stone. This, he says, is taking crafts, and other ethnographic material, to the next level.

Don't be surprised to see Todd's work appearing in upcoming publications and important collections. As an advocate for Native peoples, Todd recently had the pleasure of meeting former US President Bill Clinton. Along with his political advocacy, when Todd isn't busy dreaming up new creations, you can find him working on his home in rural South Dakota, or preparing for the traditional Lakota Sun Dance where he not only participates but helps coordinate and officiate.