“Beauty comes within from ourselves, the land, our People, and the Universe, which is why I must paint.” -Monique Holiday

Monique Holiday is a Diné painter whose work reflects interconnected energies between the land, animals, and her tribe. She works primarily with acrylic, oil, and digital paints. As a child, Monique enjoyed watching her father, Leland Holiday, paint and followed his footsteps. She loved drawing and painting throughout her K-12 years. In 2014, Holiday won 1st place with her tribute painting to Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Young at Art! competition. That same year, she became a representing Artist at Toh-Atin Gallery alongside her father for 10 years. Her work has been acquired by private, national, and international collectors. In 2023, Holiday graduated with a Bachelor’s in Studio Arts Painting from the Institute of American Indian Arts. The following year, she earned an Associate’s in Liberal Arts from San Juan College. This fall, she will be pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching at the Fort Lewis Graduate Program. Besides painting and studying, Monique spent four years exhibiting hundreds of diverse artists, including Indigenous Nations, and their works as a gallery representative. She has been recently promoted as an Art Coordinator for the San Juan College Art Gallery. With her Master’s, Monique plans to become an Art educator and teach within her community.