A Robin Wellito (Willeto) sculpture, "Two Headed Spirit," 1996

Robin Wellito (Willeto)
Diné (Navajo), (b. 1962), "Two Headed Spirit," 1996, polychrome-painted carved wood figure, indistinctly signed and dated on the underside of one foot.
height 29in, width 18in
Provenance
Purchased at Leslie Muth Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, August 16, 1996; accompanied by the invoice and a postcard announcing the show
Property from the Estate of Arnold and Lorlee Tenenbaum

See Smither, John & Stephanie, et. al., Collective Willeto: The Visionary Carvings of a Navajo Artist, 2002, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, NM, pp.105-106. Whilst meeting with the Willeto family at their homestead to share and discuss photos of Charlie Willeto's work, the authors recounted: "Robin, who was only two years old when his father died, has no memories of his father but has been strongly influenced by him nonetheless. He pointed at one of the figures and said, 'That's where that came from', as he realized that his father's ideas had subconsciously found their way into his work. To this day, Robin wonders where he got his own skill as a carver. 'I'd like to have just one day to talk to him and get into his mind,' he said."