Original Pastel Painting of Two Pueblo Buffalo Dancers [SOLD]

This pastel drawing of two Ohkay Owingeh Buffalo Dancers is a display of a multitude of colors and vibrant activity by the dancers. One can visualize the sound of the tin cones on the edge of the kilts as the dancers raise and lower their legs. The sound simulates thunder as do the rattles in their hands. Pastel pigments are very difficult with which to work as intensity of color and definition depend on the artist applying the correct pressure of the pastel stick during application. Montoya was an expert with pastel pigments and that was his choice of medium. Since the artist used the entire paper for this work, we have framed it by floating the paper on black background so that the full image is exposed and nothing is covered with mats.

Adobe Gallery Albuquerque featured the works of Tommy Edward Montoya (1952-2009) Than Ts'áy Tas for a number of years. He was a close friend and his pastel drawings were unique compared to less abstract paintings normally exhibited at the gallery, a reason I liked his work and looked forward to having him drop in and bring some to us on occasion. I watched him work with pastels and was amazed at how easily he visualized what he wanted to do and how well he executed his thoughts. He was a fine artist and I know of no other pueblo artist producing works of his style except, perhaps, Dan Namingha of Hopi.

Montoya worked in pure pastel colors which classifies his work as drawings, not paintings. The pastel colors are in stick form and can be used like working a piece of chalk. He was very adept at using pastel colors.

Condition: this Original Pastel Painting of Two Pueblo Buffalo Dancers is in original condition

Provenance: Sold to a client of the gallery from whose estate we now have it back to sell again

Recommended Reading: 100 Artists of the Southwest by Douglas Bullis

TAGS: Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Nambe Pueblo, Native American Paintings, Tommy Edward Montoya