Frank Austin

Frank Austin A memorial service for Frank Austin will be held at 11:00A.M., Saturday, April 22, 2017 at the First Assembly of God Church, 120 South Linden Street, Cortez, CO 81321, after passing away on March 2, 2017 at UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, NM. Our most sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the Austin family during this trying time of loss. Frank, also known as Bahah-Zhonie, meaning "Happy Boy" in Navajo, was born in March, 1937. He is survived by his wife, Rose Austin of Beclabito NM, and their three children: Camellia "Cammie" Austin-Bilo (Alan Bilo) of Windsor, CO; Dwayne Austin (Jacquelynn Dayton) of Austin, TX; Tanya Austin-Shaben (Bill Shaben) of Phoenix, AZ. He is also survived by his four grandchildren. Frank, was born in Tsegi Canyon, AZ under the Navajo Salt Clan, born for Bitterwater. His maternal grandfather was Edgewater and his paternal clan was Folded Arms Reed. Frank was one of eight sons and daughters born to the late Buck Austin and Martha Smallcanyon Austin. Frank is survived by brother Keith G. Austin and sister Martha Austin-Garrison. His other 5 brothers and sisters, Dan, Elwood, Samuel B., Mattie and Irene, all preceded him in death. Frank attended Arizona State University and The University of Arizona, using a Southwest Indian Art Scholarship and a Rockefeller Scholarship. Frank was a Navajo Artist, Textile Designer and Business Man. His work included Native American Portraits, Landscape and Wildlife subjects. His artwork interpretations followed a range of abstract to realistic subjects. As a teenager, Frank's Watercolor, Portraits, and Textile designs all won awards, including those from the Scottsdale National Indian Art Exhibit; the Arizona State Fair; and Chicago's International Institute of Decorators for Textile Design. In 1970, Frank opened Nizhonie Fabrics in Cortez, CO. The name "Nizhonie", meaning "beautiful and bountiful" in Navajo, was chosen in order to describe both the product and the operation which manufactured and marketed silk screen textile designs. Nizhonie Fabrics, operated by Frank, Rose, and his brother Keith Austin, was recognized for their silk screen textile design by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Frank was presented with an award from the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation for his design, sketched September 3, 2011, of the New Four Corners Monument. After his design was chosen, Frank joked that "It's cool that it happened, because not only will my grandkids know, but also the whole world will know, I designed it! Maybe I'll go on the Today's Show". Frank's artwork has been exhibited in the following locations; · 1962-72 Scottsdale National Indian Art Exhibition, Scottsdale AZ