Shonto Begay Painting Titled Holding Light (Grandfather Tree) 2010

Holding Light (Grandfather Tree), painted in 2010 by Shonto Begay, is a striking and evocative composition that invites the viewer to gaze upward into the limbs of a luminous tree. Backlit and expansive, the tree appears as if it is reaching skyward, its branches forming a hand-like shape that cradles the light itself. The title suggests reverence, portraying the tree as a kind of elder or guardian.

Begay's post-Impressionistic technique is on full display here. The surface of the painting is alive with short, directional strokes of paint that pulse with energy and emotion. This expressive brushwork, a hallmark of Begay's visual language, renders the tree not just as a natural form but as a spiritual presence charged with meaning.

Raised in Shonto, Arizona, within a traditional Navajo household, Begay's early life was shaped by his father's work as a medicine man and his mother's skill as a weaver. Those formative experiences, rooted in balance with nature and deep cultural knowledge, continue to inform his work. Holding Light (Grandfather Tree) is a powerful example of how his personal history, cultural worldview, and a unique artistic voice converges on canvas.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Shonto Begay Painting Titled Holding Light (Grandfather Tree) 2010 is from a collector in Albuquerque.

Recommended Reading: Shonto Begay - His Life and Work by Hanna Lieff, 2004

TAGS: drawing, painting, Diné of the Navajo Nation, Shonto Begay