Original Pueblo Painting Titled “Two Birds” by Robert Montoya [SOLD]

This exquisite 1978 painting by Robert Montoya, signed Soe-Khuwa-Pin, captures a beautifully balanced composition infused with rich Pueblo symbolism. Two birds, adorned with intricate Pueblo motifs, take center stage, each engaged in a quiet moment of their daily lives. The bird on the left holds a striped lizard or salamander. The bird on the right fixes its gaze on a small snake head rising from the earth, emerging from slightly darkened ground created by a heavier spray of watercolor paint, while a moth or butterfly hovers delicately above them.

Montoya's masterful use of ochre, sienna, and black echoes the traditional palette of Pueblo pottery, enhancing the earthy, organic feel of the scene. His technique, possibly utilizing an atomizer or airbrush similar to those employed by Helen Hardin and Pablita Velarde, results in subtle speckled variations of watercolor that lend depth and movement to the piece. The linework, while precise, retains a natural fluidity, bringing emotion and life to the composition. Thoughtfully executed with a keen eye for detail, Two Birds is a striking example of Montoya's artistic voice — both delicate and powerful. The composition draws the viewer inward, inviting quiet contemplation of this majestic and symbolic moment.

Robert Montoya (b. 1947) Soe Khuwa Pin - Fog Mountain is an artist from Sandia and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblos. Montoya is the son of Gerónima Cruz Montoya and brother of Paul Montoya. In addition to his visual arts work, he has also had a career as an architect. His education included high school at St. Michael's in Santa Fe, an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of New Mexico and an MA from the University of Oklahoma. Montoya combines traditional and contemporary styles in his work. He has received many notable awards and accolades, including "Best of Show" at Santa Fe Indian Market in 1973.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Original Pueblo Painting Titled "Two Birds" by Robert Montoya is from a collector in Illinois.

Recommended Reading: The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters by Patrick Lester

TAGS: Sandia Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Gerónima Cruz Montoya, Paul Montoya, Native American Paintings, Robert Montoya (b. 1947) Soe Khuwa Pin - Fog Mountain