Navajo Painter Quincy Tahoma – Interview with Book Authors

Quincy Tahoma was a Navajo painter from Arizona and New Mexico. While he died at an early age, his contributions to Navajo art stirred the interest of my friend and fellow travel writer, Vera Baderscher. She co-wrote Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist. She and her collaborator Charnell Havens also write a blog about Tahoma’s life. The blog tells the story of their research and details of Tahoma’s life. Vera and Charnell were happy to answer some questions for The Vacation Gals.

Who was Quincy Tahoma?

Tahoma was a gifted Navajo painter who died in his thirties from the effects of alcoholism. His life led him from a sheep  camp near Tuba City, Arizona to Santa Fe, New Mexico and international fame as an artist. His life was full of triumphs and tragedies’ he still inspires young American Indian artists today. We were able to show more than 200 of his works in our biography, Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist.

When did you first become interested in Navajo painter Quincy Tahoma?

(Vera) I have lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for forty years. The city is packed with Indian art stores. My friend Charnell Havens introduced me to Tahoma’s art: I was interested in the way his life parallels some of the major cultural trends of the Navajo people in the mid-twentieth century — boarding school education, World War II, self-government, alcoholism, the growth in general interest in American Indian art, and the migration away from the reservation.

(Charnell) When I was a child, my next-door aunt visited Santa Fe and came home with five of Tahoma’s paintings. I was spell bound by them.  having found out very little about his life, I started probing in 1995 and gradually ramped up the research effort. In 2000, Vera joined me and from there, it was full steam ahead.

How does this book relate to your own blog, and your career as a travel writer/travel book review specialist?

(Vera) As a travel writer, I am always eager to provide people with a reason to visit new places and learn about new cultures. I hope that Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist will stimulate curiosity about the fascinating culture of the largest American Indian group. And of course, Tahoma’s paintings may entice people to learn more about Navajo art and seek it out for themselves. As for how this work relates to A Traveler’s Library, the connection is personal. Having assigned myself the job of critiquing books, I’ve become more keenly aware of the stylistic and organizational demands on a writer. I had to ask myself constantly — would I want to read this book? How would I review it?

How often do you get to tour the Navajo area? Any favorite spots therein?

(Vera) Since I have lived in Arizona for so long, my husband and I have traveled to every corner of the state, and the Navajo reservation sprawls across a large portion of Northern Arizona and New Mexico. One of my family’s favorite road trips with our boys was across the Navajo reservation. We have been back many times — particularly to Canyon de Chelly, my favorite of the many scenic spots in Arizona — and to Monument Valley.

(Charnell) I go whenever time and resources allow it. After I moved from Texas to Virginia in 2005, those trips unfortunately became less frequent. I love all the spots I’ve visited so much that I bravely took three teenaged grandchildren to New Mexico and Arizona for ten days of exploration. The trip was magical for all four of us.

Any plans to write another book together?

(Vera) I spent ten years on Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist, and Charnell started even earlier. I am not prepared to make that kind of commitment again. We wanted to make more people familiar with this outstanding Navajo painter. Now that the book is published, our main interest is in making sure that we complete that job by ensuring that as many people as possible see the outstanding art work and read the moving life story of Quincy Tahoma.

(Charnell) Amen to that!

Thanks, Vera and Charnell. Through you, hopefully the legacy of Quincy Tahoma will live on and become more well known.