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Art has always been at the forefront for Dale Ray Deforest.

He finds freedom in creating characters, and stories run through his veins.

For years, he’s worked diligently to build a career in art.

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Lately, he’s been on a great run.

In fact, Deforest recently illustrated Rebecca Roanhorse’s “Race to the Sun.”

“I don’t have a lot of new, personal art,” Deforest says. “I’ve been so busy working on other projects.”

Deforest signed a contract with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where he will illustrate more books.

The company is also home to author Scott O’Dell, who focuses on Native American-based stories.

“They hired me to produce some illustrated covers that are consistent,” he says. “They want the books to look like a series.”

Deforest grew up in the Four Corners area of the Navajo Nation – specifically, around Shiprock and Farmington.

He graduated from Navajo Preparatory School in 1995 and then studied 2D Arts and Photography at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. “Much of my artistic endeavors stem from my love of the craft itself,” he says. “In terms of photography, I fell in love with grainy film and rough edges while maintaining crisp and cleverly captured moments in a solid frame. My other primary practice is sequential and 2D art. I employ high-contrast and thick lines to convey bold imagery matched with bright and vivid colors. Artwork that can be used to not only express, but captivate and manipulate thought and action has always been my goal as an artist.”

Deforest draws inspiration from the stories, as well as keeping an eye on what other artists are doing.

“I’m still relatively new to the book publishing scene,” he says. “I look at other artists and follow their process. After I figure out what I want to do, I apply my process of sketching and Photoshop work.”

Deforest is also the creator of his own comic book, “Hero Twins,” which is loosely based on the Navajo creation story. Deforest ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the series.

He also self-published his first comic series, “Rez-Luv,” in 2010.

Deforest is enjoying working on art nearly full time again.

It had taken a back seat for the better part of 15 years.

“I kept the wheels greased,” he says. “Lately, I’ve gotten into digital art. That’s really sped up the process quite a bit. When I was doing paper and ink, I was constantly visiting the art supply store, and I would go broke.”

Deforest’s art always has an indigenous message intertwined with today’s popular culture.

“I strive to make everything I make pleasing,” he says. “The challenge is to create something different each time.”