Annotated Bibliography
Bernstein, Bruce & W. Jackson Rushing. Modern by Tradition American Indian Painting in the Studio Style. Albuquerque, NM: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1995.
One of my favorite books addressing the shaping of Native American painting.
Broder, Patricia Janis. American Indian Painting & Sculpture. New York: Abbeville Press Publishers, 1981.
Deceptively large, this book could pass as a coffee table book, until you read it. Many of the greats are introduced to the reader in this volume matched with powerful color illustrations.
Broder, Patricia Janis. Earth Songs, Moon Dreams: Paintings by American Indian Women. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999.
Patricia assembled this book showcasing many of the most impressive Native Americans painters’ works coupled with insightful explanations for specific paintings as well as the development of their careers.
Broder, Patricia Janis. Hopi Painting: The World of the Hopis. New York: Brandywine Press, 1979.
Patricia chronicles the past to the present, the traditional to the non-traditional in Hopi painting.
Brody, J. J. Pueblo Indian Painting: Tradition and Modernism in New Mexico, 1900-1930. Santa Fe: School of American Research Press, 1997.
Solid scholarship by an informed art historian focused on the early 20th century Pueblo paintings in the Collections of the School of American Research is homed with luscious illustration in this book.
Dunn, Dorothy. American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas. Santa Fe: The University of New Mexico Press, 1968.
Together with the Tanner book, these two represent the bible books for those discovering Native American painting.
Highwater, Jamake. Song from the Earth: American Indian Painting. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1976.
Pre-ledger drawings through Fritz Scholder and Rance Hood are explored here.
Highwater, Jamake. The Sweetgrass Lives On: Fifty Contemporary North American Indian Artists. New York: Lippincott & Crowell Publishers, 1980.
Fifty artists who were cutting edge 25 years ago are revealed along with some of their predecessors.
Lester, Patrick D. The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters. Tulsa: SIR Publications, 1995.
This book includes more artists than perhaps Snodgrass, but there are mistakes in it with respect to some artists’ dates. That said, you must own it.
Matuz, Roger, ed. St. James Guide to Native North American Artists. Detroit: St. James Press, 1998.
In-depth coverage of artists who work with paint, who sculpt with metal, who make baskets, etc. Lists core data including exhibitions, collections including the artists’ works as well as publications along with commentary about stylistically what typifies an artist’s work.
Seymour, Tryntje Van Ness. When the Rainbow Touches Down. Phoenix: The Heard Museum, 1988.
Accompaniment to a fabulous exhibition of the Denman collection. Many, many artists were interviewed with a great deal of sensitivity and this is recorded . Chapters are grouped by culture: Apache, Navajo, Rio Grande Pueblo, Hopi. Way of Life, Religion and Art topics are followed by biographical investigations of the artists and descriptions of their paintings.
Silberman, Arthur. 100 Years of Native American Painting. Oklahoma City: The Oklahoma Museum of Art, 1978.
As guest curator for this exhibit, Mr. Silberman should be cheered. This was an early survey exhibition ahead of his time.
Snodgrass, Jeanne O., comp. American Indian Painters: A Biographical Directory. New York: Museum of the American Indian Heye Foundation, 1968.
For anyone who hasn’t memorized various artists’ Native names versus their more commonly known names, this book is a MUST!
Tanner, Clara Lee. Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art. 2nd ed. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1973.
Not the best examples illustrated, but it is one of the two foundation volumes for collecting Native American art.
Wyckoff, Lydia L., ed. Visions and Voices: Native American Painting from the Philbrook Museum of Art. Tulsa: Philbrook Museum of Art, 1996.
Extremely well chosen examples configured by the Philbrook’s Curator of Native American Art. It is inspiring to glance through and then personable to read as the artists explain how they came to paint.
Individual Artist Bibliography
Cesa, Margaret. The World of Flower Blue: Pop Chalee: An Artistic Biography. Santa Fe: Red Crane Books, 1997.
Dockstader, Frederick. ed., Oscar Howe A Retrospective Exhibition. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Thomas Gilcrease Museum Association, 1982.
Gray, Samuel L. Tonita Pena: Quah Ah, 1893-1949. Albuquerque: Avanyu Publishing Inc., 1990.
Paladin, Lynda, comp. Painting the Dream: The Visionary Art of Navajo Painter David Chethlahe Paladin. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press, 1992.
Ruch, Marcella J. Pablita Velarde: Painting People Her Way. New Mexico: New Mexico Magazine, 2001.