Original Patrick Swazo Hinds Painting of Two Buffalo Dancers

This original painting by Patrick Swazo Hinds depicts two Buffalo Dancers in full motion, caught in orbit around one another with a strong sense of rhythm and momentum. Each figure wears a traditional buffalo headdress and carries a feather-adorned bow, rendered with both bold gesture and precise detail. The artist's use of materials is unconventional and striking. Swazo's mastery of oil pastel is evident in the variety of techniques used, including smudged pigment applied directly from the stick and areas of color thinned and painted. The image is built on the textured side of masonite board, adding a tactile quality to the work.

Known for blending traditional Native subject matter with more modern approaches, Swazo consistently infused his paintings with energy and emotional depth. In this piece, the interplay of motion and form, along with the layered surface, speaks to the artist's ability to capture both movement and spirit.

A version of this composition appears on the cover of Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner. The author praises Swazo as "unquestionably the outstanding Tesuque Indian painter in the early 1970s and one of the most outstanding of all the pueblo artists." She attributes his success to his combination of tradition with fresh spontaneity and a modern sensibility. This painting is a powerful example of that balance and is signed Swazo on the bottom right.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Original Patrick Swazo Hinds Painting of Two Buffalo Dancers is from an experienced collector in Texas.

Recommended Reading: Art and Indian Individualists by Monthan and Monthan, Northland Press, 1975

Reference: Southwest Indian Painting, A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner

TAGS: Patrick Swazo Hinds, Tesuque Pueblo, Native American Paintings, Mark Swazo Hinds