Lawrence Jacquez (1965- )

After completing the equivalent of middle school, Lawrence Jacquez, Diné (pronounced Hackus) went to work in construction but an accident ended that career after just a short while.  Jacquez recalled that he had been painting on and off his whole life so he began to paint more seriously.  His paintings related to Navajo ceremonial sand paintings.  A terrible automobile accident, at the hands of a drunk driver near the Nageezi Trading Post, took the lives of Jacques's mother, two sisters, son, and daughter.  This horrendous event changed his life and affected his art.

The artist somewhat blamed himself for this loss because he had broken Navajo taboo by painting sacred ceremonial imagery sand paintings.  But, after giving it considerable thought, he decided he had nothing more to lose by continuing this art form so he began to carve such scenes in three-dimensional form, accurately depicting the Yeis and ceremonies. 

As a child Larry Jacquezand lived in a hogan under the shadow of Dzil Ná'oodilii. There is an old cedar hogan weathering away near the top of the mountain according to Jacques. He says "I believe that First Man and First Woman may have lived there." According to Navajo origin legend, First Man and First Woman were the first beings to appear as humans; they formed the four mountains sacred to the Navajos from soil gathered from mountains in the prior world.

This strong belief in Navajo legends is probably the driving force for sculptures by Jacquez. He is known to have carved and painted extraordinary objects accurately depicting the Yeis, Navajo mythology, and the dances and escapades of skinwalkers. The Rosenaks stated that they were surprised by the appearance of skinwalkers in his work, and doubtful of their very existence, but Jacquez told them that "evil witches do exist" and they do appear on Dzil Ná'oodilii.

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