Adee Dodge, Diné of the Navajo Nation Painter
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Adee Dodge (1911-1992), grandson of the esteemed first Navajo Tribal Chairman, Chee Dodge, was a scholar and artist dedicated to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Navajo people. Educated at the University of New Mexico and holding a master's degree in Comparative Linguistics and Anthropology from Columbia University, Dodge's artistic journey began during his recovery from wounds sustained while serving in the South Pacific during World War II. As a self-taught painter, he passionately focused his work on safeguarding the sacred symbols and ancestral stories of the Navajo Religion. His significant contributions have been recognized through features in Arizona Highways and exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution.
Dodge's distinctive artistic signature incorporated the Navajo hair-roll, a powerful emblem of the Navajo people, beneath which he inscribed his name, Adee. Further enriching his paintings were symbolic birds: the bluebird, representing the Seagoing people of the East, and the swift flying swallow, symbolizing the Swallow people of the West, adding layers of cultural meaning to his work.