Harrison Begay was born in 1914 and educated at
various schools on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. He attended both,
Santa Fe Indian School and Phoenix Junior College. He served in the U. S. Army
in World War II, under General Dwight Eisenhower. Harrison Begay, of Lower Greasewood, Navajo County, Arizona
passed away on August 18,2012 at the age of 95. He will be missed!
One
of the best known dine' painters, Harrison's
watercolors are known for their beautiful soft colors as well as the
story within each design. Begay is a traditional painter whose work
depicts an
idealized manner of Navajo life, captured from his childhood. Harrison
often wrote on the back of his paintings, a title or what the painting
depicted. This wonderful painting was titled "Ready to Weave a Saddle Blanket".
Sight size is 9 5/8" by 12". Framed non-glare glass, matted, size 19 3/4" by 17 3/4".
Harrison Begay was awarded the French Palmes
d’Academiques in 1954. He has exhibited his paintings worldwide to include a
solo exhibition in Japan in 1989. His work is published in, American Indian
Painting by Dorothy Dunn, Southwest Indian Painting by Clara Lee
Tanner, The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters by
Patrick D. Lester, American Indian Painters by Oscar Jacobson and Jeanne
D’Ucel.