The Sweet Smell of Home

A self-taught artist in several mediums who became known for stippling, Leonard Chana captured the essence of the Tohono OÕodham people. He incorporated subtle details of OÕodham life into his art, and his images evoke the smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the Sonoran desertÑall the while depicting the values of his people. He began his career by creating cards and soon was lending his art to posters and logos for many community-based Native organizations. Winning recognition from these groups, his work was soon actively sought by them. ChanaÕs work also appears on the covers and as interior art in a number of books on southwestern and American Indian topics. The Sweet Smell of Home is an autobiographical work, written in ChanaÕs own voice that unfolds through oral history interviews with anthropologist Susan Lobo. Chana imparts the story of his upbringing and starting down the path toward a career as an artist. Balancing humor with a keen eye for cultural detail, he tells us about life both on and off the reservation. Eighty pieces of artÑ26 in colorÑgrace the text, and Chana explains both the impetus for and the evolution of each piece. Leonard Chana was a peopleÕs artist who celebrated the extraordinary heroism of common peopleÕs lives. The Sweet Smell of Home now celebrates this unique artist whose words and art illuminate not only his own remarkable life, but also the land and lives of the Tohono OÕodham people