LEHI THUNDER VOICE EAGLE SANCHEZ
Since he was little, Lehi would doodle in sketchbooks and notepads. Even though he loved art, he never thought of himself as an artist. He considered art a form of expression; a way to work out inner thoughts and emotions.
One semester in college, he found himself penniless and needed a way to pay for his tuition. One of his dad's friends saw his need and commissioned an oil painting. Lehi hadn't worked with oils before, but figured he would do the best he could. He practiced by doing a piece he titled "Dawn Star" which was a depiction of a family holding hands in the early morning. This painting depicted the reunion of a child with their family after 40 days in the wilderness, something Lehi had witnessed many times while working with his dad at a wilderness therapy program for "at-risk youth" called ANASAZI.
He donated the finished painting to ANASAZI for the fundraising auction. His painting received the most bids that night.
Feeling a little more confident, Lehi did the painting for his father's friend. When he finished, everyone was taken by its beauty. Lehi was pleased by the positive feedback and was even happier to have money for his schooling.
He realized that painting was very similar to sketching in the way that it helped him sort through feelings and emotions. Somehow the act of moving oil paint across canvas helped him work through his trials in life.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2014 that he awoke from a dream by a thunderstorm that he put aside other things to focus on art. He knew it was time to share his story through his art.
Since that time he has gained recognition for his work and continues to share his story.
Thunder Voice Eagle