Turquoise Tortoise Gallery opens Tony Abeyta: Underworld, welcoming back the celebrated contemporary American Indian artist who unveils his latest new works at a reception Friday, May 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. Abeyta will give an artist talk at 6:30 p.m.

A recipient of the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and named a Living Treasure by Santa Fe’s Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Abeyta was already known for his commissioned paintings used as the signature images for the groundbreaking and also the grand opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Abeyta embraces his Diné heritage but does so on a world stage: He has lived, studied and painted in Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Italy and France, enriching himself with advanced arts degrees and an expansive world view that allows him to meet the challenges of the Euro-American art market while retaining roots in his own heritage.

With evolving interpretations of Diné deities, neo-modernist landscapes and massive charcoal explorations in nearly black-and-white palettes, Abeyta strikes a skillful balance between representation and abstraction. Stop by Turquoise Tortoise Gallery on First Friday evening to meet Tony Abeyta and enjoy the opportunity to hear him speak about his paintings’ subjects, his techniques and creative process, and the new directions he is exploring in his art.

Turquoise Tortoise Gallery is located at Hozho Plaza, 431 SR 179 in Sedona. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. New extended hours through June are 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For information, call 282-2262 or visit the Turquoise Tortoise website.