Stanley Battese (born 1936), also called Kehdoyah ("Follower" in

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

), is a

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

and

printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating work of art, artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand proce ...

born in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Primarily active in the 1950s and 1960s, he is known for his paintings and prints of animals and of Navajo figures. Battese has exhibited his work across the United States, including at the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonials, the Philbrook Museum of Art, and as part of the Museum of New Mexico's fine arts gallery tours. His works are in private collections and in the collections of institutions including the

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. In 2021, with 7. ...

. Battese was born to Navajo parents Charlie Smith and Gee Eh Bah. He was adopted by Anthony Battese (

Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

) and Josephine Bruner ( Muscogee- Shawnee). Battese began painting at a young age. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts from

Arizona State College Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the List ...

in Tempe, Arizona in 1961. After exhibiting his art throughout the 1950s, Battese appears to have painted less frequently. He worked for a time as a carpenter and a welder.

External links

Stanley Battese art at the National Museum of Natural History

Stanley Battese artwork from Santa Fe Auction

References

20th-century American painters 20th-century indigenous painters of the Americas Native American painters Painters from Arizona 1936 births Navajo painters Arizona State University alumni 20th-century American printmakers 20th-century Native American artists Living people {{NorthAm-native-bio-stub