Arts
Artist Shares His Talents with Campus
Undergraduate students recently had the unique opportunity to experience the artistic vision of Elmer Yazzie, an enrolled member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation, during a lecture that was part of the “Connections and Harmony” exhibit on Oct. 30. Using bayonet yuca brushes and watercolor paints, Yazzie shared with students his vibrant “skyscapes” and symbolic life themes.
The event was sponsored by Dr. Sudha S. Saksena, a former professor of anthropology at Muskingum.
Yazzie’s journey as an educator and artist spans decades, having started teaching students in1976. He views every opportunity to share his art as a continuation of this lifelong commitment to teaching. He added that this lecture is part of that commitment.
Yazzie stands out even within his own community. “There’s no one else back home that’s painting with these,” he said, referring to the yuca brushes he uses, adding, “I’m the only one that’s doing it.”
These brushes come from the bayonet yuca, a plant native to the southwestern United States, particularly thriving in the Four Corners states—Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico—at elevations around 7,400 feet.
When asked why he shares his artwork, Yazzie’s responded, “We all should be sharing what our talents are, whether it’s cooking, mechanical work, [or being] technologically sound people. We all have to share our fruit. We’re required to by our creator. It’s meant for the world. That’s why I do it.”
