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Bio

Charles Decker: 

 

A contemporary Native American-Apache Artist, working with oils and mixed media on large scale canvas. Currently living in Flagstaff, Arizona USA.

 

Recently as of April 2022:

Charles accepted a Prestigious Award for "Artist of the Year" for 2022 at the National Indian Gaming Association. Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. announced this at the N.I.G.A Trade Show & Convention in Anaheim, CA. Chairman presented the award as they unveiled a large custom painting Decker was commissioned to create for NIGA. The painting is a rendition of the former Rick Hill and current Chairman Stevens. A second custom presidential painting was also installed in the N.I.G.A headquarters located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The portrait is of Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. An established leader. 

 

A custom original painting of Charles' has been purchased and installed at the National Congress of American Indians Embassy, located near the White House in Washington D.C. Charles visited the Embassy for the installation.

April 2022:

Charles Decker was one of four finalists for "Excellence in Visual Arts" by the prestigious Viola Award ceremony in Northern Arizona. Competing with the Museum of Northern Arizona. 

From 2017 to 2021, Charles B. Decker was the local Native American Artist in Residence at both the Enchantment Resort and Mii Amo Spa, world class travel destinations located in beautiful Sedona, there you can find him creating his original works live. Charles is dedicated towards speaking about the historical, cultural, and factual properties of the area to guests from across the Globe. Decker is gaining global recognition for his works through his genuine participation, knowledge, and cultural connection to Boynton Canyon, where the resort is located. The Dilzhe'e Apache, or "The Hunters"  which is the most Western of the Western Apache, have been living in the Sedona territory for over 700 years. Charles' tribal reservation, the Yavapai-Apache Nation is located less than 20 miles from Boynton Canyon.

Decker was commissioned by the Cliff Castle Casino located in central Arizona. Charles created four large cultural paintings, depicting cultural and spiritual imagery of the Yavapai-Apache Nation. These paintings are now installed inside of the Casino for viewing.

The Havasupai Tribal Nation located in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, at a beautiful and globally known area called Havasupai Falls, commissioned Charles for two very large custom cultural paintings depicting the sacred deities of the Havasupai people, an incredible honor. The paintings were flown into the canyon by helicopter and are now installed in the Tribal Council Chambers.

Charles Decker, completed a large Art commission for a new hospital built in Surprise, Arizona. The contemporary  60,000 sqft hospital, created by Dr. Martin Newman is designed to lead a new path in the behavioral healthcare industry. The commission is the perfect fit for Decker's inspirational and culturally motivated works. "My art will help create strength for those who need it the most' -Decker.

Charles has partnered with local wineries in central Arizona. His works have been commissioned and used as wine labels. He wants to explore this creative area more.

Charles B. Decker is an Apache, an artist, and an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in Middle Verde Arizona. Decker incorporates celestial art motifs with ancestral symbols and landscapes to fit in with traditional designs of his Native American World. All of these designs are meticulously hand-made into colorful backgrounds with various brilliant and vibrant colors contrasting the foreground and background. These paintings are very unique with their Apache culture infused. Decker incorporates traditional Native symbols within the totality of his modern painting techniques to render a new whole. Charles calls this “transformational art”-taking a specific technique and adapting it into a new form. In this case, he is telling a story of his Native culture using contemporary techniques with mediums such as Oils, Acrylics and mixed media.
Charles Decker is self-taught, and comes from a family of artists, both on his mother's and father's sides. Charles’ male clan name is “Nagozogen” or “One who marks on the ground people”. Interestingly enough, Charles turned out to be an artist just as his Apache clan name indicates. Charles’ great great grandfather was Henry Irving, a well noted Apache medicine man who was born in Cibique, Arizona and later grew up in Fossil Creek west of Payson, Arizona during the mid-1800s to the late 1800s. Henry was known as Deyelleh or “One who dreams”.
Charles is now taking the steps by using his painting techniques to tell of his people’s culture in a pleasing manner using contemporary methods to convey his story of a time and place.

 

Charles B. Decker is available for your corporate and residential needs.

"Value in Art must be kept sacred, just as all of our ancestors have left us of secrets that continue to be unveiled about our history and path"-Decker

 

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