José Vicente Aguilar was born at San Ildefonso Pueblo but apparently moved to California early in life as he is known to have attended Hollywood High School in 1944. He then was in the U. S. Army during World War II, attended Otis Art Institute (CA) from 1947-1949, then the University of New Mexico, followed by attendance at Hill and Canyon School of Arts in Santa Fe in 1949-1950. He continued his education at Los Angeles Trade Technical Junior College in 1951, then Los Angeles County Art Institute in 1954, and finally, Los Angeles Art Center School in 1959. Although he moved from school to school, it appears that he put in a dozen years studying art. He became a commercial and technical artist and a painter.

There is no published record as to when he returned to San Ildefonso Pueblo, however, it is known that he was greatly influenced by Joe H. Herrera later in his career at which time he ventured into abstract works. His earlier paintings, such as this one, were in the time-honored tradition of San Ildefonso painters and The Studio of the Santa Fe Indian School.