Gateway to the Spirit, by Robert Maryboy of Bluff, Utah
Gateway to the Spirit
When Robert Maryboy was a child his grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, told him Navajo stories of creation and of the Great Spirit that lives above us all.From these ethereal memories, Robert Maryboy creates spiritually uplifting paintings of his beloved Navajo land.Maryboy uses brush and palette to portray his unified faith in Christianity, his nation and his land.
In this picture the eagle represent the Great Spirit of God.The mountain is El Capitan, located south of the entrance to Monument Valley, Utah.This is a famous part of the red desert of the American Southwest, a location used for cowboy movies such as The Searchers, Stagecoach and Fort Apache – all directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne.It is also a land famous for its ethereal spirituality, with stark and massive monuments rising out of the desert appearing as a surreal landscape of mind, character and eternal truths.Thus this picture features an eagle flying above a landmark ethereal gateway to higher knowledge of God’s spirit and truth .
Dinch people maintain the spiritual qualities that they find in all creation.They believe every mountain, stream, river, desert and animal is encompassed by the Great Spirit.
One Strength:The Dineh belive that balance underlies the spiritual and physical entities of our mother earth.The Navajo people strive for Hozhoogo, a term that has no English equivalent, but its meaning includes beauty, balance and harmony.
Love of the Great Spirit be with you.
Robert Maryboy
The Perfect Gift, by Robert Maryboy of Bluff, Utah
The Perfect Gift
When Robert Maryboy was a child his grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, told him Navajo stories of creation and of the Great Spirit that lives above us all.From these ethereal memories, Robert Maryboy creates spiritually uplifting paintings of his beloved Navajo land.Maryboy uses brush and palette to portray his unified faith in Christianity, his nation and his land.
In this picture the eagle represent the Great Spirit of God.The Navajo Medicine man is receives from the eagle the perfect gift of a feather, Iina Bi tsoos.The eagle feather gives spiritually protection, the willpower to overcome addiction and the wisdom to be mentally wise.The eagle feather is therefore used in ceremonies and rituals to have harmony.
Dinch people maintain the spiritual qualities that they find in all creation.They believe every mountain, stream, river, desert and animal is encompassed by the Great Spirit.
One Strength:The Dineh belive that balance underlies the spiritual and physical entities of our mother earth.The Navajo people strive for Hozhoogo, a term that has no English equivalent, but its meaning includes beauty, balance and harmony.
Love of the Great Spirit be with you.
Robert Maryboy
Eye of the Spirit by Robert Maryboy of Bluff, Utah
The Eye of the Spirit
When Robert Maryboy was a child his grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, told him Navajo stories of creation and of the Great Spirit that lives above us all.From these ethereal memories, Robert Maryboy creates spiritually uplifting paintings of his beloved Navajo land.Maryboy uses brush and palette to portray his unified faith in Christianity, his nation and his land.
In this picture the Great Spirit, represented by an eagle, comes from the spirit world and delivers a holy feather to the Dinch Warrior at one of the Navajo’s sacred places, Tse Bit ai, Shiprock.All of these elements are part of the Navajo creation soty.
Dinch medicine men share their stories to the young and elder generation during the winter season when animals are in hibernation.The thunder and lightning represent the power of the Great Spirit.
One Strength:The Dineh believe that balance underlies the spiritual and physical entities of our mother earth.The Navajo people strive for Hozhoogo, a term that has no English equivalent, but its meaning includes beauty, balance and harmony.
Love of the Great Spirit be with you.
Robert Maryboy
Gift of the Earth by Robert Maryboy of Bluff, Utah
The Gift of the Earth
When Robert Maryboy was a child his grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, told him Navajo stories of creation and of the Great Spirit that lives above us all.From these ethereal memories, Robert Maryboy creates spiritually uplifting paintings of his beloved Navajo land.Maryboy uses brush and palette to portray his unified faith in Christianity, his nation and his land.
Mother Earth provides the gift of life.It provides wild game such as elk, deer, fish and rabbit.Before hunting season, the Dinch hunters perform ritual ceremonies.First they collect various herbs and prepare a sweat lodge.Then for four days a ceremonies are held inside the sweat lodge.Thus prepared, the hunters seek wild game from Mother Earth’s bounty.Then after hunting, the skins are tanned and the meats are split from the bone and dried.The antlers and bones are placed back in the mountain where the spirit of the wildlife roams.The bounty is packed on horseback and the warriors head for home.By honoring the goodness of nature through these traditions, the Dinch people believe Mother Earth will continue to provide.
Be thankful for the gift of Mother Earth and live long.Dinch people honor the spiritual qualities that they find in nature.Each mountain, desert land, river, stream and animal is encompassed by the Great Spirit. Mother Earth provides the gift of the land.With honor come blessings.
Love of the Great Spirit be with you.
Robert Maryboy
Talking Spirit by Robert Maryboy of Bluff, Utah
Talking Spirit
When Robert Maryboy was a child his grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, told him Navajo stories of creation and of the Great Spirit that lives above us all.From these ethereal memories, Robert Maryboy creates spiritually uplifting paintings of his beloved Navajo land.Maryboy uses brush and palette to portray his unified faith in Christianity, his nation and his land.
Robert Maryboy was raised by his maternal grandfather, Hastiin Maryboy, who lived in the Bluff Valley area of Navaho Territory.Robert learned to draw on flat red sandstone found throughout the region.He would do this as he cared for his family’s flock of sheep.
In this picture, the sun is setting and with it another season has gone by.It is time to head back to the winter camp with the flock of sheep.Grandfather Hastiin Maryboy is on horseback leads the sheep while a shepherd’s wagon follows the flock.An eagle has formed out of the clouds representing the Great Spirit, blessing the shepherd’s leadership and the sheep’s obedience.Rain and lightning now follows them.An eagle flies above all.In this we see serene unity of God’s power, peace and glory hovering above the unity of prophet, shepherds and sheep.
One Strength:The Dineh belive that balance underlies the spiritual and physical entities of our mother earth.The Navajo people strive for Hozhoogo, a term that has no English equivalent, but its meaning includes beauty, balance and harmony.
Love of the Great Spirit be with you.
Robert Maryboy
Robert Burke (left) with artist Robert Maryboy at Four Corners, Arizona.
You can also visit Robert Maryboy at his vendor booth located at Four Corners, the famous intersection of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.Please support his artwork!
Touching Four Corners: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico.
