Original Painting titled “New Mexico Morning” by Hopi Pueblo artist Dan Namingha [SOLD]

This excellent original painting was created by Hopi-Tewa painter Dan Namingha.  The image, which is titled “New Mexico Morning” and dated 2002, is split evenly between shadowed earth and vibrant sky.  The earth is composed of dark blue and black, with touches of green in the immediate foreground.  The sky’s incredible orange rises from the hills and then spills over into a beautiful blood red tone.  A touch of black at the upper edge heightens the intensity even further.  The painting’s strength lies in the interplay between these light and dark regions.

While its dramatic colors are its most immediately appealing characteristic, a close study of the painting reveals careful compositional work that is equally worthy of praise.  The ridge in the foreground—the only area of the painting that includes any detail, and certainly the only area that calls for it—was clearly crafted by an immensely skilled hand.  A thin row of nearly vertical lines in a muted green tone rests atop darker greens, blues and a touch of red, providing exactly what is needed to define the landscape while maintaining the mood of the image as a whole. This is a unique and exceptional landscape from one of the finest contemporary Native painters.

The painting is signed Namingha in the lower left.  The following text is painted on verso: “‘New Mexico Morning’, 2002, Dan Namingha.”  The canvas is wrapped around a wood frame and mounted within a black frame.

Dan Namingha (1950- ) is a Hopi-Tewa painter and sculptor who comes from a long line of influential artists.  Namingha is the son of Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo.  His great grandmother was Annie Healing Nampeyo and his grandmother was Rachel Nampeyo.  He was raised on the Hopi reservation. Namingha studied at University of Kansas, Institute of American Indian Arts, and the American Academy of Art.  His list of awards, accolades, notable exhibitions, and major collectors is long and varied. Namingha is frequently referred to as one of the most successful Native American artists working today.

Provenance: from the collection of Allan Nelson

Condition: this Original Painting titled "New Mexico Morning" by Hopi Pueblo artist Dan Namingha is in original condition

Recommended Reading:  The Art of Dan Namingha by Thomas Hoving

Relative Links:  Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo, Hopi Reservation, Annie Healing Nampeyo, Rachel Nampeyo, Otellie Loloma, Charles Loloma, Native American Paintings, Dan Namingha