Robert Chee, also known as Hashke-Yil-Cale (1937–1971)[1][2] was a Navajo contemporary artist and author. He is best known for his painting and serigraphy,[3][4] but he also worked as an illustrator, and weaver.

Robert Chee
Hashke-Yil-Cale
Ettore DeGrazia, Harrison Begay, and Robert Chee (circa 1960) in Tucson, Arizona
Born	December 14, 1937[1] St. Michaels, Arizona, U.S.[1]
Died	1971 St. Michaels, Arizona, U.S.
Other names	Hashke-Yil-E-Cale
Spouse(s)	Louise
Children	2

Early life and education

Robert Chee was born on December 14, 1937 in St. Michaels, Arizona.[5][2] In early age, he attended school in Bellemont.[5] His artistic talent was recognized in childhood, he started painting at age 10.[6] Chee was enrolled in the Intermountain Indian School, where he studied under Allan Houser.[1][7][6] He had been a member of Tewa Enterprises (around 1951), the Native American printmaking group.[8]

Career

From 1958 to 1961, Chee served in the United States Army and painted murals at army bases including one in Mainz, Germany.[1][5] In 1959 and 1960, Chee won first prize at the Navajo Tribal Fair,[5] and the Gallup Ceremonials in 1966.[2] In 1963, Chee won first prize at the Philbrook Art Center (now known as the Philbrook Museum of Art).[5]

Chee's favorite medium to work in was watercolor,[1] and he often used darker-colored paper (typically black or blue papers) as a background.[2] He was known for his distinct flatstyle painting, which was in part a reflection of the earlier "studio-style" of painting taught at Dorothy Dunn's art classes in the Santa Fe Indian School's Studio School.[1][9] His later work shows the suggestion of a foreground with hills or the sprigs of plants coming from the earth.[2] In 1969, Chee started using lighter colored paper (grey or white papers), which changed the feeling of many of his works.[2]

Death and legacy

He died in late 1971.[2]

Chee's work can be found in public museum collections including the Minneapolis Institute of Art,[10] Museum of Northern Arizona,[11] Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art,[12] Arizona State Museum,[13] Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art,[14] the Penticton Gallery,[15] and the National Museum of the American Indian.[16]

See also

• List of Native American artists

References