We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Duhon James. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Duhon below.

Duhon, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

After graduating in 2014 at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM, I was stuck on what to do and questioning myself on moving back home in Ganado or to continue living in Santa Fe because of the Railyard was one of the market scenes. It was hard as an artist because I was starting from scratch and had to rebuild my artwork and having no access to a studio, so everything I created was from our apartment. My full-time living from my creative work started in 2018, I remembered my printmaking instructor who taught us how to print without a press and I continue to use the hand pressed process.

Being introduce or stepping into art markets by starting out with arts & crafts markets and a few outdoor markets, main one would be the Santa Fe Indian Market. This mindset I have is that, just because I did the Santa Fe Indian Market, it doesn’t mean I stop and wait for next year’s market, NO! there’s more to come, and I have more to create because I want to travel nearby or further out, just keep pushing myself. I think creating my block prints and being an artist is still difficult and it takes time to get recognize on how my prints represents for me and my identity.

I don’t think I wouldn’t speed up anything because it takes time and to travel, to let people know your artwork, and that’s what I like about Santa Fe still. In 2021, we move back to Ganado, and I still create my block prints, and taking care of my kids while my wife works. We have three kids, our third one was born on May 25th, 2024, so I am balancing on being a father and an artist, and most of the time I am up late up printing or accepting a few interviews.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Duhon James, I am Water’s Edge clan, born for the Bitter Water Clan, from Ganado, AZ. In Spring 2014, I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts.

I am a printmaker: linoleum block, screen printing, monoprints.

being proud of what I do: being interview, invited into group shows, solo shows, traveling to art markets to meet people, collectors, building up my CV/resume, and being a father. I think what gets me the most is when I get interviewed by the Navajo Times and the Gallup Independent newspapers because that is our local papers and friends, relatives, and family get to read my part.

My brand is my creation of the UFO and Hogan and my artist’s name Yiiyah Man.

Sometimes I get asked from followers about getting notice/recognize, for me to share their works or I’ll share it for them to help them get recognize and to make sales, I think as an artist, we want to be equal but have different styles of work, but as a whole we help each other out when we attend art shows. I try to give advice to other artist by saying, explain what your artwork is about, I understand making money is the most thing, but explain your artwork, get the details in, draw viewers in, you need to have collectors and a few buyers. (I know it can be hard, but I am glad going to school help me by presenting my works to a huge group of students, critiques can be hurtful but you as an artist need to improve your weaknesses, which it did for me, by speaking about my artwork, using art terminology, and accepting or avoiding all the negativity on what people will say.) So, I tell them, work on explaining your artwork, that’ll improve you as in artist, and to gain more collectors.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Rewarding part is building collectors who enjoy what I do with my linoleum block prints, t-shirts, blank greeting cards, and I am glad they have my artworks hanging up in their homes, offices, facilities, and in their galleries.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking (wherever I apply to and get accepted), bringing that knowledge back to either at Dine College, Tsaile, AZ or Navajo technical University, Crownpoint, NM. To be particular, Navajo students wouldn’t know what printmaking is and its’ history, and it’s more of painting, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture. So, I would like to introduce printmaking to the students, and teach it to the students.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DuhonJames
• Instagram: yiiyah_man

Image Credits

Duhon James.

If images are selected to use, please let me know, and I can add the titles, size, and medium, in the email.