Keith’s painting of a Yei—bi—chai singer was created especially for this year’s 11th Annual Prescott Indian Art Market and will appear on the 2008 PIAM commemorative t-shirt.

Featured Artist for 2008 is Keith W. Smith, from Tuba City, Arizona. For ten years Keith (Diné) has been painting Navajo history and life. He received a bachelor’s degree of fine art from Northern Arizona University. In 2006 he was inducted into “Art of the People,” an artists association. Keith’s vividly colorful work stylistically combines impressionism, realism, and romanticism. He is as comfortable with pen and ink as he is with oils. He has also illustrated two children’s books: Little Prankster Girl (by Martha Blue, 2002) and Proud to be a Blacksheep (by Roberta John, 2006).

“I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was in elementary school,” he says, “because it seemed so amazing to create something out of nothing. What pleases me is that when Navajo people see my paintings at art shows, they say they can see their aunt, uncle, or grandmother in the paintings. I feel the work is real and honest when I get that reaction.”