desert calendar - Desert Magazine of the Southwest

NAVAJO TRAVELERS, by Hoke Denetsosie. Hoke's home, in the vast expanses
of Navajoland, provides a perfect background for the bright coloring of Navajo
costumes.
is apparent in the work of art school
graduates.
With his determination to continue
in the art field, Hoke left Phoenix and
went to Windowrock, Arizona, seat of
the Navajo Tribal Council. He worked
for the Navajo Central Agency and
did process printing and silk screening
for the Department of Education and
the U. S. Government. He stayed
there until the start of the last war and
then returned to his family ranch to
help with the chores. His brother had
been drafted, but Hoke was unable to
pass the physical examination. He decided
he could best serve his country
by helping with the sheep and cattle.
The ranch is located in the desert
plains which stretch as far as the eye
can see, interrupted only by flat topped
outcroppings of rock and an occasional
patch of stunted cedar. The forlorn
aspect of the setting is a perfect background
against which to paint the
Navajo, colorful in their dress, resplendent
in hand-fashioned silver jewelry
and turquoise. Hoke worked hard and
painted hard, and when the war was
over he sought new scenes and fresh
experiences.
Bright Angel Lodge at the Grand
Canyon was his next stop. Here a job
as bell boy provided livelihood and
also time in which to paint. He spent
all leisure hours improving his technique.
People began to notice his work.
He met Hamilton Warren, head of the
Verde Valley School near Sedona, Arizona,
and Warren commissioned him
to illustrate the school catalogue.
Hoke then became a lumber-jack in
the Kaibab forest. Next he moved up
into the Salt Lake City area where he
worked in the Kennecott Copper Mines
in Brigham Canyon. Later he settled
in Kanab and became acquainted with
"Dude" Larson who gave him a commission
to turn out 200 post card cartoons
for the tourist market.
During his many changes of work
and locale Hoke never neglected his
classic art. His paintings have been
exhibited in Flagstaff at the Museum
of Northern Arizoaa, and in Las Vegas,
Nevada. The U. S. Government
selected him as one of five Indian
artists to tour the country as part of a
progressive educational program designed
to acquaint the American people
with the art work of the native Indian.
Jonreed Lauritzen, author of Arrows
Into The Sun, and Song Before
Sunrise, is an admirer of Hoke's work.
In fact Lauritzen has asked the
Navajo artist to illustrate a series of
books he is preparing for juveniles.
Much of the writing and illustrating
has already been completed, and several
samples of the art work have been
approved by the publishers.
Hoke possesses the wanderlust of a
typical Navajo and has traveled to
many parts of the country. He has
never married or settled down for long
in one spot. Someday this may change,
but at the moment he sees fit to use his
artistic talents in any place where they
are wanted and appreciated.
JULY, 1952 15