Oliver Enjady Paintings

The Prayer for the With These Feathers, 1995 Blue Mountains, 1998 Acylicon canvas,36" x 24" Acrylic on canvas, 30" x20" © 1995 Oliver Enjady

Cover: One Way Ticket, 1998 Acrylic on canvas, 40" x 30"

Except where noted, all paintings©1998 Oliver Enjady

The Kids Somewhere The Asking, 1998 in Texas. 1995 Acrylic on canvas , 48" x 24" Acrylic on canvas , 36" x 24" © 1995 Oliver Enjady

Oliver Enjady Paintings Exhibition November 15, 1998-January 19, 1999

I try to let my paintings talk about themselves. As Indian people, we say that everything has a heart beat and has a story to tell. This is what I try to capture in my paintings.

The turning point in Oliver Enjady's lifeoccurred at agefifteen when he left home in Mescalero, NewMexico, to attend the Institute ofAmerican Indian Artsin Santa Fe, NewMexico.This "awesome experience" immersed theyoung student in a melting potof newideas and experiences.The Institute provided a stimulating environment enriched withgifted instructors such as the Hopi multi-media artist, Otellie Loloma and Allan Houser, the famous Ft.SillApache sculptor.

Enjady'searliestartistic influences came from his father, Wallace, who inspired the budding artist to express himself freely by exploringa widevariety of themes.

Enjady, a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, wasborn July28, 1952, in Mescalero, New Mexico. He attended Tularosa High School prior to entering the Institute, where hegraduated in 1974. After graduation, Enjady enrolled in a museum training program at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Enjady returned to Mescalero in 1975. He relegated artwork to his spare timewhile he pursued his main source of income, firefighting. In 1988, he received hisfirstsolo exhibit. Experiencing a verypositive response from this show, Enjady began painting more, andlarger, canvases

Realizing his need for further education, Enjady re-entered the Institute to pursue a two-year associate of fineartdegree in museum studies witha minor in painting. Heearned his degree in1991.

In 1992, Wheelwright Museum of theAmerican Indian presenteda showingof Enjady's work entitled "The Quest, TheJourney." Thesuccess of this exhibit led to further one-man shows in 1993 and 1994 at Living Desert State Park in Carlsbad, New Mexico. In 1995, NewMexico Magazine featured Enjadyandhis paintingsin an illustrated article. In 1996, Enjadywon firstplace in painting at Santa Fe Indian Market andin 1997 he received first place in the Pueblo Grande Indian Market poster competition.

Enjady paintsbothin realistic andabstract styles. Workingwith acrylics on stretched canvas, he first applies a background thatis often darkand spattered. Next hecreates images of tribal themes depictingApache crown dancers, medicine men, baskets, and eagle feathers. He often derives subject matter from dreams as well as from culturallysignificant events such as coming-of-age ceremon ies. With These Feathers depicts twocrown dancers againsta background of swirling firelightandeagle feathers. The Asking features anApache basket suspended above the supplicant's hands, with eagle feathers falling from above.

Enjady hasfoursons, all artistically talented. He maintains hisstudio in Mescalero, NewMexico.

Prices of paintings for sale maybe obtained from theOklahoma Indian Artsand Crafts Cooperative housed in the Southern Plains Indian Museum. TheCooperative's address is P.O. Box 966, Anadarko, Oklahoma 73005. After theexhibit closes, contact Oliver Enjady at P.O. Box 624, Mescalero, New Mexico 88340.

US Department of the Interior Southern Plains Indian Museum & Crafts Center Indian Arts and Crafts Board 715 East Central

Anadarko, Oklahoma 73005