Original Painting of Owl and Deer by Beatien Yazz [SOLD]

This impressive painting was created by Diné artist Beatien Yazz.  His subject here is a group of animals crossing paths during a winter storm.  A small, snow-covered hill rises into frame from the painting’s bottom edge.  In the center of the image, a pair of deer arrives at the hill’s modest peak.  One looks directly ahead toward a tiny rabbit.  The other turns its head to the right, taking a look at an owl.  The owl—talons ready, eyes wide open—dives down toward the rabbit.  Yazz was known for his adept handling of animal subjects.  Here, they are both stylish and realistic.  They’re full of character, but they don’t feel fantastical or cartoonish. 

It helps, too, that their environment is similarly appealing.  The jet-black paper creates a midnight sky, while thousands of tiny specks of white form a thick but gentle snowstorm.  The black paper and white paint interact with each other beautifully, creating a dramatic setting for this lively meeting.  Yazz’ decision to use little more than muted grays and blues to form the animals’ bodies was a wise one.  In a show of restraint that feels appropriate and effective, the brilliant white snow is the only bright element that appears here.  With this striking painting, Yazz succeeded on many levels.

The painting is signed B. Yazz in the lower right.  It is framed in a carved wood frame under a green mat with a pale green interior band.

Beatien Yazz (1928-2012) was a Diné artist.  Clara Lee Tanner’s Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art provides a concise description of his strengths: “Beatien has developed no single style in his painting although, in general, traditional treatment has been uppermost.... His compositions are good, his overall style is frequently vigorous. Sometimes the reserve in his dance figures is mindful of (Harrison) Begay, as are the same body proportions and positioning, yet the face and small touches that are suggestive of more action deny this influence.  Again, one sees (Quincy) Tahoma in some of the more violent actions of Yazz’s animals… Originality characterizes much of Beatien Yazz’s painting. Also, his colors frequently are strong and contrasting—they are seldom muted; and rich combinations of colors are typical.” (p. 346)

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Original Painting of Owl and Deer by Beatien Yazz is from the large collection of a Santa Fe resident, who purchased the piece directly from the artist.

Reference:  Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art, Clara Lee Tanner

Relative Links: Navajo Reservation, Spin a Silver Dollar, Paint the Wind, paintings, Yazz: Navajo Painter, Beatien Yazz, Navajo Nation Painter