Morning to Night Baskets (1999)

“The majority of my inspiration is from the sunset and all the colors around here. I see what I see and try to put it on a piece of paper,” says Joann Johnson about her Morning to Night series. In this five-basket set, Joann shatters convention with her sense of color and skill in composition. Her modern interpretation of daylight across the landscape breaks color into delightful mosaics. The series begins with first light’s soft pinks and yellows where shadows appear light blue. Daylight progresses into the noon hour when warm reds and blues are bold and rich in sun and shade. Late afternoon and evening soften the edges and shadows become longer as daylight wanes. Night’s velvety purples and blacks are especially beautiful in Dinétah (the Navajo homeland).