Tile on Sand Mosaic of a Navajo Sand Painting Yei Dancers Rainbow Guardians

This substantial mid-century mosaic panel depicts a procession of Navajo-style Yei figures—often referred to as Yei Dancers or Rainbow Guardians—executed in mixed media including ceramic tile, glass, and sand. The composition presents a linear arrangement of highly stylized figures, each rendered with elongated proportions, geometric facial features, and formalized gestures, framed within a rectilinear border that establishes a strong architectural presence.

The figures are articulated through carefully set tesserae in a restrained but vivid palette of gray, black, ochre, white, green, and red. Their rhythmic repetition across the surface creates a sense of ceremonial procession, while vertical staff-like elements interspersed between the figures introduce visual cadence and symbolic balance. The sand-textured ground provides a rich, tactile contrast to the crisp geometry of the mosaic elements, reinforcing the work’s material complexity and depth.

The panel is attributed to I. Henry Studio, Tehachapi, California, and dates to the 1960s. Although little archival documentation survives, I. Henry is understood to have operated as a regional studio or artisan workshop producing decorative and architectural artworks influenced by Southwestern and Native American visual traditions. Tehachapi’s geographic position between Southern California and the Southwest places the studio within an important mid-century corridor of artistic exchange, where Indigenous-inspired motifs were frequently interpreted through modern materials and design frameworks.

The Yei figure—central to Navajo cosmology as a mediator between the human and spiritual realms—became a popular subject within mid-20th-century studio craft, particularly in mosaic and architectural wall works intended for private residences and commercial interiors. This example reflects that cultural moment, translating ceremonial imagery into a permanent, non-ceremonial art object designed for enduring display.

Mounted on a sturdy panel backing with original hanging hardware on the reverse, the work is well suited for wall installation. Its scale, symmetry, and graphic clarity make it a compelling example of mid-century Southwestern-inspired mosaic art, appealing to collectors of American studio craft, Indigenous-influenced design, and architectural wall pieces from the postwar era.