Tony Abeyta Untitled Monotype of Hummingbird dated 1994 [SOLD]

This untitled monotype was created by Diné artist Tony Abeyta. Monotype printing is a method in which paints or inks are applied to a smooth, non-absorbent surface and then pressed onto paper either manually or using a press. In between these two steps, the paints and inks can be manipulated, allowing the artist to create painterly images with unique textures. As the medium's name implies, each monotype is a one-of-a-kind piece-they are prints, technically, but they are not produced in multiples.

This 1994 piece was created in collaboration with master printer Ricardo Ximenes, at Ximenes' El Cerro Graphics workshop. It's a large, colorful depiction of a hummingbird, completed in a striking palette of blue, green, and red tones. The scale of the piece allowed Abeyta to explore the details of the bird's composition, and he most certainly did, but he expressed them in his own voice instead of leaning towards realism. For the wings and tail feathers, he put down his brush and used a different tool to apply rainbows of blue, green, purple, and red. These forms appear as partial circles, with lines cutting through the paints as they travel from center to exterior. This careful, precise work resulted in an added level of depth, appealing textural variations, and clear separation of the bird from its abstracted surroundings. It is a treat to see Abeyta direct his attention toward one small corner of the natural world.

The monotype is signed Tony Abeyta in upper right. A number handwritten on the back of the print dates the piece to August 1994. It is framed under glass in a wide black frame.

Diné artist Tony Abeyta (b. 1965) is one of the most prominent contemporary Native American painters. Abeyta was educated at Santa Fe's Institute of American Indian Arts, the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, and overseas in Italy and Southern France. His father was Diné painter Narciso Platero Abeyta (1918-1998) Ha So De. Abeyta's works are included in major museums around the world, and he has received many notable awards and accolades for his work. Abeyta lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Berkeley, California.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Tony Abeyta Untitled Monotype of Hummingbird dated 1994 is from a private New Mexico collection

Recommended Reading: Abeyta | To'Hajiilee K'é  This book is about the current exhibit at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe. It chronicles the important Navajo family of artists, a father, son, and two daughters: Narciso Abeyta (1918-1998), Pablita Abeyta (1953-2017), Elizabeth Abeyta (1955-2006) Nah-Glee-eh-Bah, and Tony Abeyta (b. 1965). The catalog-book is available at the Wheelwright Museum.

TAGS: Diné - Navajo Nation, Native American Fine Art, Narciso Platero Abeyta, blankets, prehistoric, Kachinas, jewelry, painting, Tony Abeyta, Elizabeth Abeyta