ZUNI, NM (July 11, 2025) — Ten Emerging Artist Apprentices from the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, ages 14-23, will showcase and sell their original artwork at Ho’n A:wan Park. Scheduled for 6-8 p.m., the showcase is open to the public.
Made possible with support from the Bezos Family Foundation and First Nations Development Institute, the 10-week Emerging Artist Apprenticeship Program began on May 13 and will culminate in the public showcase. The top four students will have an opportunity to visit the acclaimed Keshi the Zuni Connection art gallery during the Santa Fe Indian Market on Aug. 16-17.
According to Elroy Natachu Jr., ZYEP’s arts coordinator, five of the 10 Emerging Art Apprentices were returning students who had completed other apprenticeships in recent years. Others had some experience with acrylics and watercolors due to school projects or self-directed work at home.
Everyone was new to graphic arts, however.
“It was a learning curve,” Natachu said with a chuckle. “We began with a series of general assessments to analyze each student’s skills and creativity and determine the best way to support them.
“Then they moved into the fundamentals of drawing — shading, color, highlights,” he continued. “They all needed that foundation to be able to understand and visualize how to work with Adobe Fresco.”
Although they were new to the medium, and the first week was admittedly a little difficult, the apprentices caught on quickly under the direction of instructors Breydon Othole and Mia Sutanto.
“Some things are easier, and some things are harder, when you’re working with an Apple Pencil on a digital surface like an iPad,” Natachu said. “But they learned how to use the technology to their advantage, and once they got the core concepts down, they could focus on fine-tuning their skills.”
In one memorable assignment, Othole and Sutanto tasked each apprentice with choosing a famous piece of art in a particular style and then make it their own. Natachu said it gave young people a chance to experiment with their own voice and style.
“It was so cool to see what they came up with!” he remembered.
He noted that roughly half the apprentices expressed an interest in pursuing a career in painting or graphic arts. The other half shared that they wanted to explore cultural themes and styles as well as their own artistic vision.
“During the apprenticeship, we did teach the students about the use of color in Zuni culture,” Natachu explained. “We also explored cultural pottery designs and modern interpretations of those. We demonstrated how you can maintain those cultural roots in your own artistic purpose and designs.”
At press time, the apprentices were busy preparing their final pieces for the art showcase on July 18. These items include paintings, printed aluminum pieces and merchandise such as mugs, magnets and keychains.
“They’re going to be handling their own sales,” Natachu advised. “It’s important to give them that show experience — hands-on practice running their own booth. They can see what it’s like, and they also know they have us right there to lean on.”
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.
