Original Pastel Drawing of Katsina Maiden

This original drawing was made by Tommy Edward Montoya of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. It is a profile depiction of a Katsina maiden, completed in pastels. Her mask and hair are depicted in detail; her body fades into translucence and eventually disappears altogether.

Montoya selected a minimal palette of brown, black, and white pastels for this piece, using careful textural work rather than color to define the details of his maiden. As a result, she feels somewhat otherworldly, which is certainly appropriate for a representation of an intermediary between the physical and spiritual worlds. Montoya was a skilled and creative artist, and we are pleased to offer this beautiful drawing.

The drawing is signed Than Ts'áy Tas in lower left. It is framed under glass and fabric matting in a carved wood frame.

Tommy Edward Montoya (1952-2009) Than Ts'áy Tas was born at San Juan Pueblo (now Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the family home on the edge of the plaza. His father passed away when he was very young, so his mother, originally from Nambe Pueblo, raised him herself. Montoya attended the Santa Fe Indian School and the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. He continued on to get his BFA from California College of Arts and Crafts and MFA from University of California at Berkeley. After returning to the pueblo from California, Montoya took a job as technical illustrator and photographer at Los Alamos National Labs. He pursued his art in the evenings. Once his reputation was established and his commissions increased, he quit his job at Los Alamos and pursued his art career full time. Montoya developed two independent sides of his art: figurative studies of traditional Tewa ritual, and his more cerebral, abstract studies of color and form. His popular figurative works brim with vitality and action. His strong asymmetric compositions come to life as if one were witnessing a ceremonial function at the pueblo rather than viewing a piece of art. Adobe Gallery had a long relationship with Montoya. We featured him as one of our primary artists at the Albuquerque gallery for a number of years. He was a wonderful person and an outstanding artist.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Original Pastel Drawing of Katsina Maiden is from a private New Mexico collection

Recommended Reading: 100 Artists of the Southwest by Douglas Bullis

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