Page 19 - the NOISE August 2015

the WaY to all thIngs, patIence & process as the journeY
OPPOSITE PAGE: One of Mr. Whitethorne’s emblematic watercolors of morning coffee in a hogan nestled on the Colorado Plateau;
AT RIGHT: In the Peaks Are the Mystic Ones, one of the artist’s most recognized works.
sTory By niKKi CHArnsTroM
It’s a Monday morning in the studio of world-renowned native American fine artist Baje Whitethorne Sr. He is wearing a forest green shirt with a hint of white paint in the middle of his torso, camo shorts, and hiking boots speckled with color. There is a black apron covered in paint off to the side and a large, unfinished canvas of a dancer on an easel. The yellow walls are decorated with ongoing works of art and previous masterpieces. Bright colors and navajo artifacts strewn about give a sense of heritage and culture.
starting at age five, Mr. whitethorne began his artistic journey alongside his uncle and siblings. witnessing the importance art held in their lives, he wanted to see the outcome of his creative attempts. Growing up with horses, he was first shown by his grandfather and father how to draw a horse; giving him a direction to practice. when he was old enough to start school, he began sketching and his teachers took notice. Coming from an artistic family, the school was less than surprised to see him demonstrating similar skills.
In fourth grade, his school acquired an art teacher. she would gather up all the art students, take them to the library, and show the young artists new skills. when the students created some of their first work, the librarian entered the pieces into the Museum of northern Arizona. Mr. whitethorne gained his first victory; he was given a blue ribbon and an $8 award.
when Mr. whitethorne reached high school, he managed to have an excellent art teacher. He was separated from the rest of the class, handed a pencil and the freedom to do whatever he imagined. “Drawing is the way to all things, he says. “At the time I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wanted to be somebody.
“you’re told in art class that simplicity is beautiful. we try to be perfect before we even try, so I got out of there ... I had no clue how to be a professional artist but the process gave me patience,” he recalls.
In the 1980s, Coconino Center for the Arts called Mr. whitethorne and asked him to do a poster for an upcoming show. “That poster gave me a name. It was one of the greatest pieces of art I’ve ever done,” he expresses. From there, he knew he was going to make art his career, and 30 years later, he has been halfway around the world with his art.
Over the years, he has always made it an effort to do somethingartisticeachday. Mr.whitethorneneverfindshimself at a standstill because he is continuously developing his craft. He believes as an artist that you must take time and give time in order to grow. From there, the artist finds they are creating a workspace, gathering materials, and making a business plan. After six years of building and designing his studio, these were his first steps to becoming the artist he is today.
Vibrant colors and bold lines are seen all throughout Mr. whitethorne’s work. He attributes this artistic style to his appreciation for comic books. even as a grade school student, he was heavily influenced by the comic book community.
“Lines, repetitive movement, exaggerating color, texture. I have a wide pallet, I don’t have just one,” Mr. whitethorne describes. “If you stay with one particular style, you put yourself in a corner. Go to the edge of your pallet and play with some things.”
As an artist, he finds himself using a variety of materials and playing with a range of techniques. Beginning primarily as a watercolorist, he found that as people began to collect his art they were curious to see what else he could do. Transitioning from watercolor, Mr. whitethorne started studying oils. From there he branched off into acrylics, wiring, carving, prints, and bronze sculptures. “If you showed me something new, I would work with that for awhile,” he proclaims.
There is no set time limit on a piece when it comes to his work. In some cases it may take him 10 years to finish one painting. During his painting process he takes photographs of the canvas with his phone and studies them. On occasion he will upload those photos to social media to receive feedback from his family and friends.
“every time you look at it, you add and sometimes you over- do it,” Mr. whitethorne explains, “Then you convince yourself
to finish it, but sometimes it never becomes anything.”
Mr. whitethorne doesn’t use his work to make a statement, but instead uses it as a recollection of his childhood. He
strives to share the navajo way of life through instilling cultural and traditional values in each piece. Including historical information as well as depicting the openness and movement of a landscape, he demonstrates his awareness of culture and appreciation for Mother earth.
On a personal level, art in one word is “life” to this artist. He feels that through an individual’s work you get to know them and understand how they express their upbringing.
Of all the aspects of the artistic process, he thoroughly enjoys the first steps of design. From creating a simple stick figure, to putting down four lines across the canvas, to throwing warm colors off dark colors. This is where his process begins and from there it takes off.
One of the greatest challenges he has faced as an artist is where to fit in with the world. Only through building connections, relationships, joining communities, and exhibiting his work has he been able to find that. Once he was able to form a clientele, the process slowly became easier as more people grew fond of his artwork.
To those artists just starting out, Mr. whitethorne advises that it is always best to talk with your loved ones about your plan. He values the opinion of his family and involves them in his art. “It’s not all about you. It’s about taking the time to spendwithyourfamily,”hestates.“Iftheycomplainthenyou have to rethink what you’re doing.”
As the years pass, Mr. whitethorne finds himself continuing to pursue art because it’s his passion. Although he is unsure of where it is headed now, he knows it will continue to hold a place in his life. Faced with retirement letters in the mail, he continues to remind himself that he is still healthy and able to make art. “It’s good to be able to come up to the studio and work,” he concludes.
Mr. whitethorne has been a member of the Artists’ Coalition of Flagstaff since April and will be exhibiting and selling two of his paintings at Open Studios Prelude, along with 64 artists belonging to the organization this August.
Beginning first in 1998, the ACF created Open studios with the mission in mind: “To promote artistic growth and professional development of local artists.”
The Coalition is a judge-free organization, allowing room for all artists to feel comfortable showcasing their work. “everybody’s work is very personal and I feel to judge them is
wrong,” executive Director Mike Frankel explains.
The Open studios is growing each year; Mr. Frankel receives phone calls from out-of-towners who plan their vacations around this event. Living in a thriving art community he says that Flagstaff is very fortunate for being a small town. “It’s become much more than a Flagstaff thing. It’s a regional
thing,” he states.
Between July 25 and August 23 the Prelude will take place
inside the Flagstaff Mall, where all artists’ artwork will be on display. Here visitors can preview the work to determine which locations/artists they wish to visit during the self- guided 18th Annual Open Studios Tour on the weekend of August 22-23. The tour is made up of 35 locations around town, some of which are private studios or artists’ homes. The Prelude will be open to the public from 12PM to 6PM daily in the Flagstaff Mall between Laser Tag and Charlotte Russe. Brochures with information and maps for the self- guided Open studios tours can be found at the Flagstaff Visitors Center and many galleries, restaurants and coffee houses in Flagstaff. Flagstaff-Arts.org.
| nikki Charnstrom is on the look-out for new art in flagstaff. arts@thenoise.us
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news • august 2015 • 19