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ABEYTA ROHRSCHEIB -- Elizabeth Nah-glee-eh-bah Abeyta Rohrscheib, 51, noted Navajo Sculptor. Elizabeth Abeyta, a sculptor whose work won top awards at the Navajo Craftsman exhibition at the Museum of Northern Arizona, first-place awards for sculpture at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, at the Indian Market in Santa Fe, was featured in Jerry and Lois Jacka's award-winning Beyond Tradition, and whose work is represented in various museums and private collections, died Sunday, December 17, 2006 in Baltimore, MD, after a prolonged illness. Elizabeth attended the Institute for American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, the Navajo Community College in Tsalee, AZ, and received a scholarship to the San Francisco Art Institute, where she studied under Richard Shaw. She grew up under the tutelage of her well-known Navajo artist father, Narciso, Ha-so-de, Abeyta. Elizabeth's clay sculpture was an intimate expression of her Navajo Heritage. Her sculptures were considered magical, without the boundaries of traditional Native American Culture. At the same time she created and explored the cultural mythology of Native Americans. She was best known for her flowing Navajo women, with elaborate ornamentation, and her naughty versions of Koshari's. Elizabeth's passion for life and art were contagious; everyone who knew her was captivated by her enthusiasm, creativity, personal beauty, and laughter. Born in Gallup, NM, April 6, 1955, Elizabeth was the daughter of Sylvia Ann Shipley Abeyta. Her maternal grandmothers were Alice Howland and Eleanor Brownell, the first two presidents of the Santa Fe Opera, and early supporters of the arts in New Mexico. Her father, Ha-so-de, studied under Dorothy Dunn Cramer at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s. Elizabeth is survived by her daughter, Alexandra Rohrschieb; her son, Adrian Quintana; her sisters, Pablita Abeyta, Benita Cooper, and Alice Seely; and her brother, Tony Abeyta and Tom Warder. She is also survived by a niece, Jovanna Jishi; a brother, Dallas Dominguez; and a grandchild, Leslie Quintana. She was preceded in death by her sister, Rose Mary Dominguez; her parents; and her nephew, Lee Jishi. A Memorial Service will be held for Elizabeth Abeyta at 1:00 p.m., January 6, 2007, at the Olive Rush Quaker Meeting House in Santa Fe, NM.
        Published on: Sun December 24, 2006