Pueblo Painters

When Oliver LaFarge organized the first exhibition of American Indian art, selected entirely with consideration of esthetic value, in 1930, it was for the purpose of stimulating and supporting American Indian artists by creating a wider interest and more intelligent appreciation of their work in the American public at large, and to demonstrate to the country what important contributions to our culture the Indian is making. The exhibition opened in New York on November 30, 1931, and continued on tour to major American cities for the next two years.

When Dorothy Dunn established The Studio—the fine arts program at the Santa Fe Indian School—in 1932, she helped nurture this national movement to formulate an interest in Indian painting. Although she directed the program for only five years, the Studio continued until 1962.
Dunn insisted that her students develop a unique style and not mimic societal fashions or expectations. Dunn and her supporters believed that through the establishment of an original style, Indian artists would produce articles of worth, not Indian curios. This would, in essence, be the true American art.
Dunn assumed that an innate artistic ability resided in each of her students; therefore, her method stressed encouraging the student’s own natural ability rather than her “teachings” about art. Specifically, Dunn believed she could not teach Indian painting because her students, as Indian people, inherently knew more about it than she.
Dunn’s goals of facilitating the development of artists and enlisting public interest in Indian painting were being met with overwhelming success. This interest, inspired by LaFarge and Dunn, has continued to today.
It is with great pleasure that we present an exhibit of works by early students of The Studio, some of whom were students of Dorothy Dunn, and some who attended the Studio after her departure.