In past times many Southwest Native American cultures differed profoundly from the European-derived concept of art or artist. In most Native American languages, no word existed that meant art or artist. One person might be better at something than another might. When describing a nicely woven basket or well-carved piece of wood, terms such as, “useful,” or “well constructed” were used.
This is similar to the lack of such a word in Ancient Egypt where “an artist” was simply a worker who painted walls, made jewelry or decorated the Pharaoh’s sarcophagus. The Pharaoh’s vizier was nothing more than a scribe who wrote and painted at the whim of his master. It was his job not his art. Many cultures, especially in Europe, had guilds that supported artists/workers who created religious art.
Nonetheless, Native Americans highly revered the skill of certain craft workers whose art objects commanded high premiums from ancient times to present. Most often art was made for uses in weaponry, religion, or storytelling. A naturalistic approach to the art materials at hand is what differentiates the Western concept of art from Native American thought. Their art objects generally convey the spirit of a piece of wood, feathers, stone, or animal hide rather than transform the object into a new vision.