His upbringing in the Navajo/Hopi communities was steeped in tribal traditions, and he was schooled in the lore, history, religion, symbolism, and customs of the Navajo and Hopi peoples.
[3] Begaye's interest in pottery began early, at age 10, and he had his first public exhibition only one year later.
[4] He learned traditional techniques and pigment recipes from people in his tribal community, both Navajo and Hopi.
[3] After receiving a SWAIA scholarship,[5] he left home at age 14 to study ceramics at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM.
[3] Said to utilize a "maverick sense of form, texture, color, and design,"[6] Begaye's work was often personal and autobiographical.