Navajo Wood Carving of Owl with Attached Beak by Charlie Willeto [SOLD]

This excellent Navajo wood carving by Diné folk artist Charlie Willeto presents a small but spirited depiction of one of the artist's favorite subjects: an owl. Willeto's owl stands at just under a foot tall. Two pieces of wood comprise the piece: the main piece, and a very small piece which serves as the owl's beak. The beak and the eyes are drawn in with pencil on either side and sit just slightly off-center, making the owl appear as if it's looking just slightly to its right. White paint frames the owl's spotted wings, which rest at its sides. The owl's front side is decorated with white paint as well. The loose, expressive application leaves a very interesting design which strongly resembles a frog's body. We're not sure whether or not this was a deliberate choice, but we're very fond of the results. This early-career Willeto carving is a delight.

Charlie Willeto (1897-1964) was a Diné artist who was unrecognized during his lifetime but has, in recent years, received a great deal of acclaim for his folk art carvings.  Willeto’s father Pablo Walito was a Diné medicine man; his mother Adzaan Tsosie “Slender Woman” was a medicine woman. Willeto followed into his parents’ profession, and also married a woman who was born into the traditional Diné healing arts. In 1961, Willeto began creating the carvings for which he is celebrated today.  The carvings ranged in size from a few inches tall to nearly life-size, with the majority standing between one and three feet. Willeto is believed to have completed about 400 carvings in total. Today, his works are included in prominent public and private collections including the Smithsonian and the Museum of International Folk Art.

Condition: this Navajo Wood Carving of Small Male Figure by Charlie Willeto is in excellent condition

Provenance: private collection

Recommended Reading: Collective Willeto: The Visionary Carvings of a Navajo Artist, Museum of New Mexico Press

Relative Links: Navajo Nation - Diné, Charlie Willeto