Shonto Begay's Home

When the sun sets on Shonto Begay’s home on the Dineh (Navajo Nation) in northern Arizona, the land turns red and the sky sets on fire. After what Shonto calls "the introduction to the celestial drama”, the moon rises and the stars glitter throughout the sky like a sparkling stream running over our heads. On a clear night, you can easily see the Milky Way and dozens of shooting stars. Once a month, the moon shines so brightly that the bugs stop flying towards the kerosene lamps in the home and make a pilgrimage up to the giant light bulb in the sky. At the homestead, there is no running water and only a small amount of electricity from a noisy and dirty diesel generator. Most cars cannot make it out there. Shonto, who drives a beat up, red Ford Ranger, always boasts with a smile, "This is Ford country" as he crashes through the slick rock and rolls down the mesas.

Shonto is a brilliant painter, compelling story-teller, visionary, and leader. He is a leading spokesman for environmental rights and the defense of human rights. His art has been featured in major museums and galleries across the world.

Now, with the help of Solar Mosaic, Shonto is going solar on his home. His home, which he built with the help of friends and family, overlooks the silo of Peabody Coal Mine, which powers the neon lights of Las Vegas and the greater Western grid. To this day, there are still 18,000 Navajo homes, like Shonto’s, that remain without power. Many of them use kerosene or diesel generators for the occasional use of power. A dramatic metaphor, it’s heartbreaking to see the buzzing transmission lines powering the mine running over Navajo homes without running water or electricity. Please invest in this project to create solar power for Shonto’s home and be a part of this paradigm shift for the Navajo Nation and beyond. Additionally, everyone who purchases a share in the Shonto project will receive a signed print of Shonto's beautiful, handmade artwork.