Virgil Julis Nez, Navajo
- 1963 Born in Pinon on the Navajo Reservation in Northern Arizona
- 1983-1985 Studies in Architecture and Fine Arts at Mesa Community College
- 1991 Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration and Painting, Northern Arizona University
- 1991 T-shirt design for Northern Arizona University Jazz Festival
- 1992 Best of Division in Painting at the Navajo Show, Museum of Northern Arizona, with "Ye'noloo'shi"
("The Shapeshifter"), 4'x8' oil on stretched canvas
Second place at annual poster exhibition, Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market in Phoenix, Arizona
- 1993 First place in oil painting, first place in watercolor painting, and first place in pastel drawing
at The Navajo Show in Flagstaff, Arizona
- 1994 First place at annual poster exhibition, Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market in Phoenix, with
"The Scent Of The Coming Rain"
Appeared in Arizona Highways Magazine, November edition, with "Three Generational Yei's", 4'x8'
oil on stretched canvas Featured in the book "Enduring Traditions" by Lois and Jerry Jacka
- 1995 Best of Division, painting category, at the Navajo Show in Flagstaff
- 1996 First place in oil painting at Santa Fe Indian Market
- 2001 First and second place in watercolor painting at the Navajo Show in Flagstaff, Museum of Northern Arizona
Merit Award in oil painting for "Shapeshifter". The University of Kansas Museum of Anthropology,
Lawrence, Kansas
- 2002 First show in Europe at Galerie KOKOPELLI, Moenchengladbach, Germany. First 2003 Calendar (Navajo/English)
is published. A DVD (60 min.) with an interview and the show is available from Galerie Kokopelli.
- Continues to exhibit at major art shows and markets in the Western United States and beyond. In Europe works
are represented at Galerie Kokopelli in Moenchengladbach, Germany.
His most recent oil paintings from January 2006
Spiraling life
Here is a new oil painting, 39"x 30" / 99cm x 76cm (wrapped around stretchers bars,canvas)
The four sides of the painting is painted; the depth of the painting is1.5 inches.
The name of the painting is Spiraling Life.
It's about the rotation of the galaxies in space. The power turns with the energy.
Tornados, Hurricanes etc. do spin in that direction of the occurrence.
The Anasazies (first people) carved on the cliffs in the direction of rotation.
The tepee represents the sacredness of our beliefsand how we are growing as humans.
The kachina is represents the creationsof all things, and the plus signs in the ski represents our stars.
The tepee sits in the snow with the swirling snow fakes.
There are shadows ofpeople sitting in the tepee.
The painting is 2006 and heavy with raised oils.
Here is my Totsohnii Girl oil painting. Totsohnii mean the Big Water Clan in
the Navajo culture. Maylene and our children are Tohsohnii Clan.
The Totsohnii's believe the orgin of life comes from the Ocean. The sharks are circling above
while she (Totsohnii Girl) waits for the sharks to pass or waiting for the right time to move
for a kill. The Navajo maiden is hunting across the valleys of Navajo Nation.
31"x48" ( = 78cm x 122cm) oil on masonite.
Completed in 2003
Enjoy
The name of the painting is Inside the Rain Drop.
I thought I'd share my new creation with you. It's an oil painting on masonite board.
The dimension is 35.5"x48" ( = 90cm x 122cm).
The horse is a champion in his/her speed.
I put the red-orange falcon in the sky to represent the speed (spirit) of the horse.
The foreground is in winter and the background is in summer.
The wing (feathers) comes into the horse as a sun ray.
Completed 14 January 2004
Enjoy
"The corn pollen and the cool, Warm Yei"