R.Chee Sandcast & Turquoise Buckle

R.Chee Sandcast & Turquoise Buckle2 7 8" wide x 2 1 8" tall Robert Chee, also known as Hashke Yil Cale, was a Navajo contemporary artist and author born on December 14, 1937, in St. Michaels, Arizona. He is best known for his painting and serigraphy, and he also worked as an illustrator and weaver. Chee had a short but very active career. He adhered to all the characteristics of traditional Navajo painting, creating two dimensional, strongly decorative work with bright color. He

2 7/8" wide x 2 1/8" tall

Robert Chee, also known as Hashke-Yil-Cale, was a Navajo contemporary artist and author born on December 14, 1937, in St. Michaels, Arizona.  He is best known for his painting and serigraphy, and he also worked as an illustrator and weaver.

Chee had a short but very active career. He adhered to all the characteristics of traditional Navajo painting, creating two-dimensional, strongly decorative work with bright color.  He frequently used dark backgrounds on his paintings and often used gold paint, and his work is very fluid with exceptional detail and finesse. The colors in his paintings are bright but soft at the same time.

Robert Chee served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1961 and painted murals at army bases, including one in Mainz, Germany.  He studied under Allan Houser, a famous Apache artist.  Chee's artistic talent was recognized early, and he began painting at the age of 10.  He won first prize at the Navajo Tribal Fair in 1959 and 1960, and at the Gallup Ceremonials in 1966.  In 1963, he won the first prize at the Philbrook Art Center.

Sadly, Robert Chee passed away at the young age of 34 in 1971.