Robert Chee
Robert Chee, also known as Hashke-Yil-Cale was a Navajo contemporary artist and author. He is best known for his painting and serigraphy, but he also worked as an illustrator, and weaver.
Early life and education
Robert Chee was born on December 14, 1937, in St. Michaels, Arizona. In early age, he attended school in Bellemont. His artistic talent was recognized in childhood, he started painting at age 10. Chee was enrolled in the Intermountain Indian School, where he studied under Allan Houser. He had been a member of Tewa Enterprises, the Native American printmaking group.Career
From 1958 to 1961, Chee served in the United States Army and painted murals at army bases including one in Mainz, Germany. In 1959 and 1960, Chee won first prize at the Navajo Tribal Fair, and the Gallup Ceremonials in 1966. In 1963, Chee won first prize at the Philbrook Art Center.Chee's favorite medium to work in was watercolor, and he often used darker-colored paper as a background. 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. His later work shows the suggestion of a foreground with hills or the sprigs of plants coming from the earth. In 1969, Chee started using lighter colored paper, which changed the feeling of many of his works.