Brushstrokes of resilience: One Diné artist’s gift to his hometown

By Donovan Quintero | May 22, 2025 | People |

PIÑON, Ariz.

After more than a decade working dangerous jobs in tire shops and oil fields across the country, Jonavan Begay found himself back where he started – in Piñon – with an injured leg, a newborn child, and no idea how he’d provide for his family. But it was in those darkest days that he rediscovered the dream he had as a child: to become a painter.

Courtesy | Jonavan Begay
Diné artist Jonavan Begay’s painting features iconic items found in nearly every Diné home – Blue Bird Flour, Folgers coffee, Spam, Clabber Girl baking powder, Morrell lard, Morton salt, and a classic blue-enamel coffee pot arranged on a kitchen table. The piece will be unveiled Sunday, May 25, at the Piñon Bashas’ store.

On Sunday, May 25, Begay will donate a portrait to his local Bashas’ grocery store, a painting he created not for profit, but for a purpose.

“I want it to be something kids can look at and say, ‘Someone from here did that,’” Begay said. “I want it to show them that your dream isn’t impossible – even if it takes you a long time to get there.”

Begay, now 35, was raised in a small house in Piñon by his father, who worked tirelessly to support four sons and built up his own local business, Johnny’s Tire Shop. From a young age, Begay learned how to change tires, fix vehicles, and hustle to keep a family afloat. But inside, he carried a different dream, one rooted in creativity.

To read the full article, please see the May 22, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.

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