Age, Biography and Wiki

Pop Chalee (Merina Luján) was born on 20 March, 1906 in Castle Gate, Utah, is an American painter. Discover Pop Chalee's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is she in this year and how she spends money? Also learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 87 years old?

Popular As Merina Luján
Occupation N/A
Age 87 years old
Zodiac Sign Pisces
Born 20 March, 1906
Birthday 20 March
Birthplace Castle Gate, Utah
Date of death 11 December, 1993
Died Place Santa Fe, New Mexico
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 20 March. She is a member of famous painter with the age 87 years old group.

Pop Chalee Height, Weight & Measurements

At 87 years old, Pop Chalee height not available right now. We will update Pop Chalee's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

She is currently single. She is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, She has no children.

Family
Parents Not Available
Husband Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Pop Chalee Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Pop Chalee worth at the age of 87 years old? Pop Chalee’s income source is mostly from being a successful painter. She is from United States. We have estimated Pop Chalee's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income painter

Pop Chalee Social Network

Instagram
Linkedin
Twitter
Facebook
Wikipedia
Imdb

Timeline

1906

Pop Chalee, also known as Merina Lujan (March 20, 1906 – December 11, 1993), was an American painter, muralist, performer, and singer.

In 2021, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Pop Chalee was born on March 20, 1906, in Castle Gate, Utah.

Her father, Joseph Cruz Lujan was from Taos Pueblo and her mother Merea Margherete Luenberger, who became known as Myrtle Lujan, was primarily Swiss.

Her uncle was Tony Lujan, who had married Mabel Dodge Stern.

1910

In 1910, her brother Lawrence died of scarlet fever.

Part of the Lujan family—Joseph, Chalee, and her sisters Mattie and Eva — moved back to the Taos Pueblo soon after their brother's death.

Her father was in ill health due to consumption (tuberculosis).

Her mother and her sister Wilma did not return to New Mexico.

Chalee and her sisters attended the Santa Fe Indian School.

Pop Chalee, which means "blue flower", is a Tiwa name given to at the pueblo.

1918

Chalee's father married a second time to a woman named Tomacita by 1918.

On the journey back to Utah, she realized that she could not remember what her mother looked like.

When they arrived at the station their mother never arrived to get them.

After seeking out the help of a family friend they finally found their mother's home but were met with an unwelcome greeting.

Chalee recalls their mother turning them away and calling them "little black devils".

1922

On July 20, 1922, the artist married Otis Fred Hopkins, a European-American craftsman of wood and metal.

As she was starting her married life, international interest was growing for Native American art, which was defined more as the subject of Native Americans and not made by Native Americans.

While Native American art shows were traveling around the county, Chalee gave birth to her first son at 18 years old; Jack Cruz (also named Kun Funa or Black Buffalo).

Less than two years later, her daughter Betty (named Pop Pina or Red Flower) was born.

Only after a year of living back in Taos, that the Hopkins family moved back to Salt Lake City.

This pattern of "shifting from one residence to another continued."

During the Great Depression, Native American received increasing national attention.

Chalee was not yet part of the movement, but instead she made public appearances in LDS churches on Native American life.

"These thematically linked her to her Native American culture".

Chalee had not considered a career in art until “[a]n unexpected visit in Utah to a fortune teller and a subsequent recurring dream-inspired one of the most dramatic turning points in Pop Chalee's life."

Chalee started with some difficulty as she was much older than most of the students and the only woman for some time.

However, her insecurities about her artwork were put to ease by Dorothy Dunn's supportive encouragement and patience.

Chalee seemed to enjoy the school and finally settled into her new role as an artist: "I'd always been kind of funny—I never did anything right. I'd try different things like dancing and couldn't make it. But when I got into the art, I just stuck to it until I finally developed myself, then it just kind of opened the gates and I went on."

In Chalee's biography by Margaret Cesa, her progress and involvement at "the Studio could be compared to jumping into a raging river, frightened at first and then later enjoying the speed and power of the rapids so much that she never leaves the water."

At the school, Chalee was exposed to art techniques and art history that strengthened her pride in the work of Native American artists.

Responding to a lecture given about modern American art, Chalee commented "Some of our Indian artists paint in a style that the white man says can not be done, but still the Indian gets a perfectly balanced picture and the white artist generally puts a lot of unnecessary lines in a picture. We strive to tell a story in our paintings with as few lines as possible and leave out all unnecessary details. It is all done from memory."

After finishing her first year, Chalee began to work at the Laboratory of Anthropology as a paid copyist for Kenneth M. Chapman To document designs from the Laboratory's vast collection of Native American pottery.

"These tasks served to increase Pop Chalee's appreciation of Native American arts and heighten her pride in her Pueblo heritage."

During this time Chalee was also invited to show her work at an exhibit at Stanford and also contribute to the magazine School Arts.

1930

During the 1930s, when Chalee was becoming a household name, there was a "dense thicket of misinformation and sensationalism that circulated" about this new and upcoming artist.

She was called Princess Popshilee or Princess Blue Flower.

1934

During the Works Progress Administration, she worked for the Indian Division of the Public Works of Art Project, which was funded in 1934.

Chalee produced several art works that were distributed around the country.

"Her works are included in numerous museum collections, including the Gilcrease Museum (Phoenix, Arizona), (Tulsa, OK), the Heard Museum and the Millicent Rogers Museum (Taos, New Mexico). Several of her murals are permanently displayed at the Albuquerque Airport."