Robert DRAPER (American, Chinle, Arizona 1938 - 2002 )

Robert DRAPER (Born Robert MARTIN) was an American Postwar & Contemporary artist. DRAPER was born near Chinle, Arizona, in 1938. His mother Janet Descheeny (Navajo) and his father Frank Martin (Hopi and Laguna) would early give Robert up. By the age of two Robert was living with his grandparents. Upon entering the Chinle Boarding School (1947-1951) when he was 8 his name was changed to DRAPER. Later he transferred to the Intermountain Indian School (1951-1956) in Brigham City, Utah, which he attended for four years. Having been interested in arts since he was a small boy DRAPER finally received admission to the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe where he could concentrate on art. DRAPER tended to work in two media, oil and watercolor. DRAPER differed from many of the early Southwestern Native American artists and like many Navajo of his generation, (Gerald Nailor, Quincy Tahoma, Harrison Begay, etc.) began to paint in a form that was less flat and utilized perspective and shadow to achieve desired effect - this was not the Santa Fe School of Dorothy Dunn. Draper spent most of his life living on Navajo Nation land a place he showed great empathy for and depicted in his many works. Robert DRAPER pass away in 2002.