ZUNI, NM (Jan. 24, 2025) — The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project announced today that it has officially renewed its popular and groundbreaking Artist Apprenticeship Program for a second three-year term with the support of the Bezos Family Foundation, Ancestral Rich Treasures of Zuni (ARTZ) Cooperative and First Nations Development Institute. Not only is the nonprofit organization preparing to welcome a cohort of Emerging Artist Apprentices to learn traditional Pueblo embroidery, it also is mentoring three of its top students in a six-month Advanced Artist Apprenticeship.
Ryanna Waatsa-Kaskalla, 17, is pursuing watercolor painting; Janiece “Dawa” Chapella, 18, is furthering her education in Pueblo cooking; and Mary Peynetsa, 20, is learning cross-stitching. All three young people were recognized as top-three students in their respective 2024 Emerging Artist Apprenticeships, which made them eligible for the advanced program.
The current Advanced Artist Apprenticeships began Nov. 18. They will conclude this spring, following the students’ participation in the Grand Canyon Cultural Demonstration Program on May 13-15.
According to Elroy Natachu Jr., ZYEP’s arts coordinator, the Advanced Artist Apprenticeship is designed to give students opportunities to further expand their skills, experiment in their chosen medium and develop a personal vision for their artistic journey. This intensive one-on-one program also provides additional business-related education and mentorship so the students are empowered to pursue artistic careers.
“The Emerging Artist Apprenticeship is a crash course,” Natachu said with a laugh. “We have just a few weeks, so we teach all the basics and provide as much information and guidance as possible. The Advanced Artist Apprenticeship is six months with limited spots, so the artists have the time and resources they need to explore and find out who they are as artists — to level up.”
In her advanced apprenticeship, Waatsa-Kaskalla will spend three months studying watercolor painting with instructor Liam Simplicio, ZYEP arts leader, and three months with instructor Lakin Epaloose. The co-instructors led the Emerging Artist Apprenticeship in 2D watercolor painting last winter; the youth project’s youngest art instructors to date, both also participated in ZYEP youth programs prior to taking on leadership roles.
“With Liam and Lakin, Ry will be expanding on the foundation she built last year with a focus on landscapes,” Natachu said. “As an advanced student, she is now working on developing the back story for her work, the meaningful narrative that she can share with potential customers.”
“I love making things look like they’re real, especially Dowa Yalanne (Corn Mountain, sacred to the Zuni people),” Waatsa-Kaskalla said. “Right now, I’m working on a mini-landscape of the mountain.”
Chapella is currently studying Pueblo cooking with Brittny Seowtewa, ZYEP’s food sovereignty coordinator. Natachu said he will jump in toward the end, for roughly the last four weeks of the apprenticeship.
“Brittny is teaching both traditional and contemporary cooking, guiding Dawa as she explores different flavor profiles and food preparation techniques,” he explained. “My role will be to provide extra guidance around food safety, packaging and presentation.”
“I’m testing different recipes right now,” Chapella said. “I’m making changes to see the differences in flavors, deciding what I want to do in my own recipes.”
Natachu is serving as the lead instructor for Peynetsa’s Advanced Artist Apprenticeship in cross-stitching. Peynetsa is currently working on two aprons, both cut and sewn by hand.
“Cross-stitching is a newer medium for our Zuni community, but it has taken root and is well embraced,” Natachu said. “It mimics our traditional Pueblo stitching and complements it well.”
Cross-stitching first became popular in the 20th century, when Pueblo people began to incorporate cultural designs such as stars and Xs into household items such as aprons and napkins. Peynetsa said she loves learning new styles.
“I’m designing an apron with a flowered design right now,” she said. With a laugh, she added, “I’m mixing in some crochet, so I’m multitasking!”
As the students move from the winter months into the spring, their focus will turn to preparing their final projects and presentations for the Grand Canyon field trip. Natachu said ZYEP has built valuable relationships with the National Park Service, and the park rangers look forward to seeing the new demos and art — this time, the demos might even include an outdoor cooking event.
He also advised that the advanced students have opportunities to practice their customer service and business skills at home thanks to the ARTZ Cooperative gallery. It offers free memberships to students ages 17 and under, and for those who are over age 18, ZYEP will cover the cost of the memberships.
“Through these optional memberships, the students can get used to a gallery space and even help run it through volunteering,” Natachu said. “It builds their confidence, teaches business basics, and encourages self-determination. That’s so important, because these are our future leaders and culture bearers. We want to remove barriers and give them every advantage.”
For the last three years, 116 Emerging Artist Apprenticeships and six Advanced Artist Apprenticeships have been made possible through the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Social and Economic Development Strategies Grant. The partnership between ZYEP, ARTZ and several Zuni artists made this vision come to life.
“We offer our heartfelt thanks to ANA, which made these first three years of apprenticeships possible, and we are looking forward to working with the Bezos Family Foundation during the three-year term to come,” said Tahlia Natachu-Eriacho, ZYEP’s executive director. “As always, we are grateful to the First Nations Development Institute for enhancing the apprenticeship program by investing in the lessons we learned from the first round, and to ARTZ and our local Zuni art community for sharing their dreams for our youth, helping us create this program and partnering with us every step of the way.
“This program was once just a daydream, back when ZYEP and artists first came together to design and build programs for our young people. It’s an honor to uphold those dreams and continue them for generations to come.”
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09)
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
