Stylized Hopi Corn Katsina Painting [R]

Michaelis Burnham (1968-2003) was of the Navajo-Hopi tribes.  He was born in Tuba City, Arizona.  He was a self-taught artist who developed a mixed media technique in which he combined ground synthetics with acrylic paints to create depth and definition to his Native figures. 

Burnham’s cousin was Kevin Quannie and his father was Bruce Burnham, well-known trader and owner of R. B. Burnham Company in Sanders, Arizona.  Young Burnham was born with a degenerative condition which limited him physically and resulted in his last years being hospitalized.

There is virtually no resale history of Michaelis Burnham’s paintings since his death at age 34 in 2003 because his family has purchased virtually all his available major paintings.  Michaelis was represented by two galleries in Arizona earlier in his career.  The painting is signed in lower right and dated 1999 in lower left.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from Albuquerque

Recommended Reading:  The Eugene B. Adkins Collection of the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art