origin.story
growing up on & off the eastern Dine' rez lands, I was blessed to have been raised by my
maternal grandparents. the women of my family raised me & therefore instilled the ways of
the matriarch. I am continually & wholly inspired the strong female presence within the
cultural & modern ways of living in the Navajo world. the female imagery depicted in my
two-dimensional work is a kind of homage to the Navajo matriarchs of the past and the
present. throughout my life I have been exposed to a rich tradition of Indigenous women's
adornment. and too, I am wholly aware of the connection to the land and the sacredness of
creation.
2022.
.earth & sky: relationship/ kinship series
these works are solely focused on the 'adornment' of the earth and the sky. the relationship
they keep is a sacred connection. all works are acrylic on canvas by Venaya J Yazzie
.earth & sky: relationship/ kinship series
these works are solely focused on the 'adornment' of the earth and the sky. the relationship
they keep is a sacred connection. all works are acrylic on canvas by Venaya J Yazzie
2021
.sister series, shideezhi soo shadi
these works were inspired by the Dine' (Navajo) matriarchy of clanship/kinship or as the
Dine' know, "cousin-sisters." the expressions differ in regards to sisterhood, and are based on
the age of each female.
these works were inspired by the Dine' (Navajo) matriarchy of clanship/kinship or as the
Dine' know, "cousin-sisters." the expressions differ in regards to sisterhood, and are based on
the age of each female.
2015
.first world series.
in this work i find inspiration from the revisited origin stories of my indigenous matriarchal
heritage of Navajo and Hopi ancestors.
in this work i find inspiration from the revisited origin stories of my indigenous matriarchal
heritage of Navajo and Hopi ancestors.
2014 -2020
.ba'hane' series - matriarcy.
this work was wholly inspired by my cultural memory of my childhood on the eastern Dine' lands in New Mexico. it concerns reservation/political boundaries of land and language, and too perpetuates dialogue of Navajo cultural adornment, matriarchy, and issues of the land and natural resources as they are connected to the spiritual and physical. these works are mixed media acrylic pieces on canvas.
this work was wholly inspired by my cultural memory of my childhood on the eastern Dine' lands in New Mexico. it concerns reservation/political boundaries of land and language, and too perpetuates dialogue of Navajo cultural adornment, matriarchy, and issues of the land and natural resources as they are connected to the spiritual and physical. these works are mixed media acrylic pieces on canvas.
2013
.nava-hopi series.
this body of work consists of the role of the southwest desert Indigenous woman. the concepts sought in the work concerns: trek, migration, cultural adornment, matriarchy, happiness, reflection, prayer, solace, strength, trails, mapping.
2013
.migration series.
this series concerns the concepts of Navajo and Hopi migration in the oral histories of the desert people.
2012
2011
2008
.sodizin - prayer series.
2000-2016
keyah land series
silent still. 2012 Venaya Yazzie
.bird talk sky talk mountain.
acrylic on canvas
venaya yazzie - dine' /hopi 2016
acrylic on canvas
venaya yazzie - dine' /hopi 2016
.horizon lines - series.
.dinetah rising.
acrylic mixed media on canvas
venaya yazzie 2014
acrylic mixed media on canvas
venaya yazzie 2014
.sky meets earth - landscape series.
.organic matter - earth collisions series.
.mountain ceremony talk -series I (diptych) acrylic mixed media on canvas
by venaya yazzie 2015
by venaya yazzie 2015
.sky talks(diptych) acrylic mixed media on canvas by venaya yazzie 2010
All Rights Reserved 2014 ©Venaya Yazzie