Nelson Tsosie
Bronze Sculpture:
Cherished
Companions
8 1/2"
H with 1 3/4" base
Nelson Tsosie’s mother,
Lucy, a weaver from the Two Grey Hills area, and his father,
Ben, a silversmith from Window rock, Arizona, both provided the
inspiration that drew him toward a career in fine art.
As a child, he was educated
at Native American boarding schools on the Navajo reservation.
Later, he attended art classes at Yavapai Community College in
Prescott, Arizona.
His first experience selling
art was doing pencil drawings of his classmates as a way to earn
weekend money. Tsosie studied commercial art and fine art at
the University of Arizona. Studying and creating art came naturally
to Nelson.
His first appearance at the
Santa Fe Indian Market came in 1989. His inspiration comes from
his background. He draws on his experiences of growing up as
a child away from home. He focuses on the sense of human spirit
and a sense of belonging.
