Ohkay Owingeh Original Painting of a Flying Roadrunner [SOLD]

Geronima Cruz Montoya (P´otsúnú) began assisting Dorothy Dunn at the Santa Fe Indian School in 1937. She had previously been a student of Dunn's and continued to set high standards for her students just as Dunn had. She encouraged her students to paint subjects from their homes and cultures. Montoya's influence on early Indian painters was significant. She was dedicated to her students and their work. Under her tutelage, many of her students went on to become famous.

Because teaching was her first priority, Geronima did not paint often. When she did, she preferred to paint with earth colors and paint traditional pueblo motifs. This lovely bird, probably a Roadrunner, is a very nice example of her later work. The lines are crisp, and the colors strong.

The artist signed her name in the lower right hand corner and it is dated 1973. The painting is matted and framed using acid free materials.

Recommended Reading: "The Worlds of P´otsúnú: Geronima Cruz Montoya of San Juan Pueblo" by Jeanne Shutes and Jill Mellick.