Zachariah Ben learned the art from his famed father, Joe Ben Jr., who, working from Navajo traditional sandpainting, has created his own artistic style that  even led him to teach the the School of Fine Arts in Grenoble. In this photo Zac is instructing his young son.

Traditional Navajo sandpaintings are used as part of a long and complicated healing ceremonial structure that includes herbs, blessing, prayers, songs and sandpaintings to restore the patient to harmony/health). Joe Ben Jr and now his son are among those who are using some of the traditional symbols and concepts to create unique works of art.

Zachariah titled this work Butterfly Emergence, describing it as: “My family dancing from Mother Earth into Father Sky.” 12 by 48 inches. $1500.

At left is Clouds House, described by Zachariah as “Clouds dancing in and out of their home in the heavens.” 12 by 16 inches. $550. Next is Spring Lightning. Zach writes “The lightning first strike to awaken the Earth and beings after Winter slumber, (the) male part of the lightning comes down and the female part goes back up. Moisture and the constellations light up with the power and flash of the first strike.” 12 by 16 inches. $600.

A more traditional sand painting, made in the 1980-1990 time period by James A Begay (signed “JABegay on reverse. Measuring 24 inches square, not including the frame, is represents four yei’i of the four directions, holding the four sacred plants (corn, beans, squash and tobacco). To keep it from too closely recreating it as it would appear in a religious ceremony, he left out one of the plants and shifted the colors of. the four directions. The motifs in between represent buffalo hide rattles, a type most often used in the Mountain Way ceremony. $360 (TUCSON)

Joe ‘Peshway’ Ben created this image of Star Boy, dancing at Dawn. 12 by 24 inches. $525.
At right: Rainbow Girl by Joe ‘Peshway’ Ben. It is three dimensional as the face of Rainbow Girl is raised. Framed. Approximately 19 by 24 inches. $1250.

This sandpainting or ikaah is based upon the four sacred plants - corn, beans, squash and tobacco (the latter used for conveying prayers via the smoke to the clouds). Made by Patsy Miller, one of the first three Navajo painting artists (as opposed to the hataałi who are ceremonial practitioners of the art). 28 by 28.5 inches. $600.

Diné Beauty Way Song, by Zachariah Ben. 24 by 36 inches. $1600.

Mother Earth and Father Sky on a Blanket of Dusk, by Joe S Peshway Ben. In her belly lie the four sacred plants and in his the Sun, Moon, and Stars, with the interlocking zig-zag representing the Milky Way. 26.25 by 17.75 inches $900.