Robert Chee, Diné Painter

Artist Robert Chee was Diné of the Navajo Nation painter.  He had a short but very active career. He is noted for two-dimensional strongly decorative work with bright colors. He adhered to all the characteristics of traditional Navajo painting. He frequently used dark backgrounds on his paintings and often used gold paint. His work is very fluid and with exceptional detail and finesse. The colors are bright, but soft at the same time. He was an exceptional painter. It is a tragedy that he did not live longer as and just 34 when he died.

Robert Chee (1937-1971) Hashke-Yil-e-Cale was in the military from 1958 to 1961 and painted murals in Army buildings in Germany during that time. He studied with Allan Houser, the famous Apache artist.

Note: Robert Chee's birth and death dates were published by Clara Lee Tanner, in her book Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art.

TAGS: Diné of the Navajo Nation, Allan Houser, Apache, Native American Paintings