Artwork
American Indian Art at Faust Gallery: A Legacy of Tradition, Innovation, and Cultural Voice
At Faust Gallery, we are proud to present a carefully curated selection of American Indian art, spanning early historic works through contemporary fine art. Our collection includes paintings, prints, sculpture, pottery, weavings, and katsina (kachina) carvings—each selected for its craftsmanship, cultural authenticity, and artistic excellence. We also feature select non-Native artists whose work meets the highest standards of respect, relevance, and quality within the broader context of Southwestern and Indigenous-inspired art.
Painting: From Pictorial Tradition to Contemporary Expression
The tradition of American Indian painting has evolved significantly over the past century. Early 20th-century Native painters, including Fred Kabotie (Hopi), Tonita Peña (San Ildefonso), Pablita Velarde (Santa Clara Pueblo), and Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache), emerged from schools such as The Santa Fe Indian School’s Studio Program and Bacone College. These artists developed a distinctive “flat-style” approach, often depicting ceremonial life, dance, and oral histories in a way that preserved tradition while appealing to new audiences.
Contemporary painters like Tony Abeyta (Diné/Navajo), Dan Namingha (Hopi-Tewa), and Shonto Begay(Diné/Navajo) continue to expand Native painting into the realms of abstraction, symbolism, and personal narrative—blending Indigenous perspectives with modern aesthetics and global relevance.
Prints and Intaglio: Cultural Stories in Editioned Form
Printmaking has become an increasingly important medium for Native artists, offering a platform for storytelling, political commentary, and experimentation. Techniques such as intaglio, lithography, monotype, and screen printing have been used by Indigenous artists to produce powerful, limited-edition works.
Institutions like Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts and Tamarind Institute have supported the development of Native printmaking, leading to works that are both technically accomplished and deeply rooted in cultural expression.
Faust Gallery also includes select non-Native artists whose intaglio and print-based works respectfully engage with Southwestern landscapes or Native subjects, provided their approach demonstrates cultural understanding and artistic integrity.
Sculpture: From Earth to Monument
American Indian sculpture ranges from small-scale stone and fetish carvings to large-scale bronze works, often rooted in ancestral themes, spirituality, and transformation. While many early forms were ceremonial or functional, the 20th century saw the rise of sculptors like Allan Houser, who helped bring Native sculpture to the forefront of the fine art world.
Today, Native sculptors work in bronze, wood, clay, and mixed media, creating both figurative and abstract forms. Their work often bridges tradition and contemporary vision, offering powerful commentary on Indigenous identity and presence.
Pottery: Earthbound Artistry and Ancestral Knowledge
Pueblo pottery is one of the most revered and enduring art forms in North America. Cultures such as the Hopi, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Acoma, and Zia Pueblos have maintained ceramic traditions for generations—producing both functional vessels and ceremonial pieces using natural clays and traditional firing techniques.
Renowned potters like Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, and Margaret Tafoya revolutionized Native pottery in the 20th century, bringing it to the attention of national and international collectors. Today, their descendants and other contemporary artists continue to innovate within the tradition, creating pieces that honor ancestral knowledge while pushing form, polish, and surface design to new artistic heights.
Weaving: Navajo Textiles and Cultural Continuity
Navajo weavings are among the most iconic forms of Native textile art, rooted in centuries of tradition and spiritual meaning. Originating from the Diné (Navajo) people’s long history of fiber arts, these weavings evolved from early chief blankets to today’s regional styles such as Two Grey Hills, Teec Nos Pos, and Storm Pattern designs.
Modern weavers continue to blend time-honored techniques with contemporary ideas—using both vegetal and aniline dyes, handspun wool, and complex geometric designs to create textiles that are both fine art and cultural record.
Katsina (Kachina) Carvings: Spirit in Form
Katsinas are sacred spiritual beings central to the religious life of the Hopi and other Puebloan peoples. Traditionally, katsina dolls are carved from cottonwood root and presented to children during ceremonies as a way to teach cultural and spiritual lessons.
While early katsinas were simplified and strictly ceremonial, modern katsina carving has evolved into a sophisticated fine art form. Contemporary Hopi carvers create highly detailed, dynamic figures—often integrating traditional iconography with stylized movement, symbolic storytelling, and individual artistic flair. Faust Gallery honors this tradition by featuring works from master carvers who respect the ceremonial origins while contributing to its ongoing artistic legacy.
Respecting Tradition, Celebrating Vision
At Faust Gallery, we are deeply committed to showcasing American Indian art that reflects the full spectrum of Indigenous creativity—past and present. Each painting, sculpture, print, textile, and carving in our collection is selected for its cultural integrity, artistic mastery, and ability to communicate the unique perspectives of Native voices.
We are equally proud to feature non-Native artists whose work complements our mission and upholds the standards of museum-quality excellence, whether through meaningful engagement with the Southwest or collaborative exploration of Indigenous themes.
Whether you visit us in Scottsdale, Arizona, Santa Fe, New Mexico, or online, we invite you to explore a collection where history, culture, and contemporary art come together in powerful and inspiring ways.
