Navajo Yei'i

The Yei’i in Navajo mythology is a spirit bird, a powerful and enigmatic presence that a Navajo stands before when passing from this life. From my understanding, it is this sacred encounter—how one responds to this fearsome deity—that determines their destination in the afterlife.

In this painting, I sought to capture the mystical energy of the Yei’i, its presence hovering between the seen and the unseen, the known and the unknown. The piece is as much about the spiritual journey as it is about the visual—the idea of standing before something vast, ancient, and ineffable, a moment of reckoning and transcendence.

This is the original, painted in acrylic on board, measuring 80" x 36" and available for $37,440.00. It is ready to hang. 

A piece to return to over and over.