"The true beauty and significance of this collection lies not in the talent of the artists, but in the subject matter they choose to capture. DeHuff's students chose to paint symbols, figures, stories, dances, ceremonies, and designs of their heritage. These paintings capture both the cultures of the artists, and the spirit of a child’s outlook on the heritage that defines them. As an American Indian person, I see these paintings and they almost bring tears to my eyes. They are a window into the moment in time when my ancestors stood at the brink of losing who we are, and a testament to the strength of our identity, both then and now. Thankfully, not much has changed, and the stories and dances are still recognizable. Elizabeth Willis DeHuff is survived by a visual legacy that she helped encourage and preserve, paintings that survive along with Southwest Indian culture.
As a Southwest American Indian, I look at these paintings and see not only my heritage, but the fight to keep it. I look at these paintings and I see our survival."
Gilbert Benjamin Atencio (Wah Peen / "Mountain of the Sacred Wind")
- Velino Shije Herrera (Ma Pe We / "Oriole" or "Red Bird")
- Julian Martinez (Pocanoor Pho-Ca-No)
- Santana Roybal Martinez
- Quincy Tahoma (Tahoma / "Water Edge")
https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/digitallibrary/DeHuff.html
Elizabeth Willis DeHuff
Exerpted from the Elizabeth Willis DeHuff Collection of American Indian Art. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/digitallibrary/DeHuff.html