Navajo Fair highlights work
of Diné painters
Roberta Duncan looks at entries in the Navajo Nation Fair Fine Arts and Crafts competition in Gorman Hall Wednesady, September 3. — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Cable Hoover

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The annual Navajo Nation Fair is often seen as a chance for the Navajo people to get together, see old friends and see the different types of agriculture, livestock and art work that is being done across the Navajo Nation.

During the fair, a group of Native artists — Art of the People — had a booth in Gorman Hall. On Wednesday evening, young artist Dustin Rockmen showed how he draws art using his feet. Other artists also demonstrated their talent at the booth throughout the fair.

Baje Whitethorne, famous for his paintings and as a children’s book illustrator, was one of the artists on site to show his art work and to promote creating art to the Navajo people.

“Most of our group of artists are well-established artists that share with the new, upcoming, interested that want to pursue their arts in school. I think we provide answers and give them direction,” Whitethorne said.

Whitethorne said that he had already sold an unfinished piece for $11,500 earlier in the week at the fair.

“That’s why we’re showing people it can be done,” he said.
The painting he sold was of a male hogan facing a sunrise, which represented where Whitethorne’s mother and father lived when he was born. The door of the hogan faces the east. In Navajo, east is where things begin.

In Navajo, he said, we come from the earth. The energy that comes from the earth is us, he said.

“In the next couple days I’ve got to finish it,” he said
While he can make such a sale, the real emphasis is on returning home, he said.

“We come from here. Most of us have had shows halfway around the world and did well,” Whitethorne said.

“The fair is about Navajo people. It’s about coming to your community. The fair is about seeing things, what your people do — rodeo, dances, the essence of being Navajo,” he said.

“We’re just trying to present something so more and more of our Native artists can come and be a part of it,” Whitethorne said.