Original Beatien Yazz Painting of Deer at Sunset [SOLD]

For three-quarters of a century, Jimmie Toddy, or Beatien Yazz, has been sharing the life of the Diné with enthusiastic art collectors throughout the world. This has been more important to him than personal wealth. He now is no longer able to paint due to failing eyesight, but what he has provided over these decades is a wonderful record of his life and that of his fellow Diné.

Yazz, born around 1928, achieved fame early in life through illustrations published in Alberta Hannum’s books, Spin a Silver Dollar, in 1944 and Paint the Wind in 1958. As a result, his paintings have always been very much in demand. He grew up living in a traditional Navajo hogan with the rest of his family. He spoke only his native language until he was enrolled into the government school where he began to learn English.

Jimmy Toddy was a name given him by the school teachers. His father was known as Joe Toddy. Loosely translated, Toddy is the Navajo word for “bluebird.” Sally Lippincott is believed to be responsible for his other name, Bea Etin Yazz, which translates to Little No Shirt. An artist who hung around the Wide Ruins Trading Post owned by the Lippincotts habitually ran around without a shirt. Customers called him No Shirt, so when young Toddy started painting, he was dubbed Little No Shirt.

In this painting, he has provided a serene scene of a deer at sunset calling to others or signaling his presence to the other deer. The beautiful colors are typical of the colors seen of a Northern New Mexico sky during special times of the year.

Provenance: This painting is among a collection from the Balcomb family, formerly owners of an art gallery which they closed in 1976.