Joseph Sanchez returned to the United States in 1976 and, meeting new artists, formed two collectives near Phoenix. He worked at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, the Phoenix Art Museum, and most recently at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Since 2001 Sanchez has been the curator at the IAIA Museum, and has been acting director there since 2008.

Although born Taos Pueblo, Sanchez was raised in Whiteriver, Arizona on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, and was named by the Ojibway.

Sanchez lived in Canada from the early to mid 1970s, and was a founding member of the "Professional Native Indian Artists Association”, otherwise known as the Indian Group of Seven. In Winnipeg he met Daphne Odjig, who had opened up the Warehouse Gallery in the early 1970's (now the Wahsa Gallery and currently owned by Gary Scherbain, the Winnipeg Free Press Reporter who originally dubbed the PNIAA the "Indian Group of Seven"). He exhibited in group shows in Canada, Europe, and the United States.

SEPTEMBER 2010 FEATURED ARTIST - JOSEPH M SANCHEZ

"The world in general. People say it would have been great to live in the Renaissance.
I think it’s great to live today. I want to see the world change. If you’re an artist in this time,
you are living and working in a hotbed of creativity and information."
Joseph M Sanchez - 08/2008 THE Magazine

JOSEPH M SANCHEZ  - ORIGINALS AVAILABLE FOR SALE

Joseph Sanchez - Original

The Prophets discuss the future of the lady in the shadows, acrylic and ink on paper, 1979

Frame size 29" x 37" Image size 22" x 30" $4900.00

Joseph M Sanchez - Original drawing on paper

"Blue Fetish Landscape "

1974-76 19" x 25" A historical piece done when the Indian Group of Seven was still together and going strong. Very collectable for those that collect the group which includes Eddy Cobiness, Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Daphne Odjig. Alex Janvier, Jackson Beardy and Joseph Sanchez.

$Pending sale

"Blue Fetish landscape is the landscape from Richer, Manitoba where I lived until 1978 and I am sure that is not my title but maybe? doesn't sound like me" Joseph Sanchez 09/2010

My paintings are a mixture of drawing and painting together, kind of like giant watercolor. My subject matter is mostly women—and my work is about the power of the female, or the feminine. I feel since men can’t give birth, they’ve been kind of the problem. Women have a closeness to the earth. Joseph M Sanchez

Joseph M Sanchez - Original drawing on paper

"Blue Lady"

1974-76 19" x 25" A historical piece done when the Indian Group of Seven was still together and going strong. Very collectable for those that collect the group which includes Eddy Cobiness, Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Daphne Odjig. Alex Janvier, Jackson Beardy and Joseph Sanchez.

$Pending sale

I think that Mother Earth wants us to start dealing with each other in ways that are not combative. It’s been a man’s world way too long. The point of view of women needs to be strengthened because the children they’re raising need to come into this world as evolved human beings.  Joseph M Sanchez