Weaving in Beauty

Berdina Charley with two of her weavings (left). Berdina's sister D.Y. Begay's weavings are at right

D.Y. Begay’s sisters, Berdina and Berdine are getting serious about their weaving and brought some of their work to this year’s Indian Market.  Berdina’s work, seen above in the two pieces in the left of the picture has strong graphic impact and a contemporary focus.  Every time I look at the pictures, I find that I like Berdina’s designs more.  Her weaving skill is phenomenal too, but she’s got good genes.   Berdine was away from the booth when I was here, but I think you can see one her weavings at the lower right in the picture above.   I’ll have to catch up with her at another show.

D.Y.’s Shadows of Cota is to the right of Berdina.  It’s dyed in many shades of Navajo tea, which is also called cota or greenthread.  The color produced depends on the mordants used, the length of time in the dyepot, and maybe a little bit on how much tea you pour into a pitcher for later before you start using it for dye.   There’s a somewhat closer view below and a close-up of the weaving detail that shows D.Y.’s unique weaving style and the fine gradations of color that she uses.  What may look like pixelation in your monitor is actually rows of color carefully chosen to achieve the visual effect that D.Y. is looking for.

D.Y. Begay with Shadows of Cota

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Shadows of Cota detail

My coffee cup is empty and there are rugs to be washed and fixed.  Let’s visit with more weavers tomorrow!

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

Lynn Bullock at the Heard Museum let me know this morning that the Heard Museum has scheduled a second Gathering of Weavers Marketplace for November 7, 2009.

Mary Walker

Phoenix, AZ I was out of town during the Gathering of Weavers on November 1 and Roberta Sauerwein graciously offered to write an article and take pictures of the event. I’ve heard heard that the event resulted in several sales for the weavers. I’ll be sure to let you know if it will be repeated next year. Here’s Roberta’s report followed by a gallery of the pictures that she took at the event.

Saturday, Nov. 1, was a lovely day for the Gathering of Weavers in the tree lined central courtyard at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. The entire area was filled with weavers of all ages and tables covered with beautiful rugs of every style and colour imaginable. Gilbert Begay had several small rugs made from handspun, hand dyed yarns. He is also making small handbags from natural coloured yarn. Nathan Harry was weaving a round rug with natural handspun on a bicycle wheel. Marie Dedman had a beautiful Second Phase Chief’s Blanket and a Germantown Revival rug. Helen Edwards was demonstrating the hand spinning that is used to create lovely natural dyed rugs. She made it look so easy. Valerie Allen was demonstrating dyeing with walnuts. D Y Begay was demonstrating dyeing with Sandalwood and Navajo tea. She was getting a beautiful orange from the tea. There were also several of D Y’s beautiful rugs as examples of the range of colours that come from natural sources.

Just outside the courtyard is a newly finished mosaic mounted on the wall. It is a representation of a D Y Begay rug titled Floating Weft Mosaic.

[Show as slideshow]

All pictures are courtesy of Roberta Sauerwein.

Location: Central Courtyard, Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Description: The Heard Museum Shop has scheduled its third Gathering of Weavers Marketplace for November 6, 2010. The event will be held at the Heard Museum’s Central Courtyard. Weavers may sell their work without any booth or participation fees, with 20% of the purchase price going to the museum to defray the cost of the event. Sales will be rung through the Museum Shop, and each weaver making a sale will receive a check after 3 PM on the day of the sale.

Weavers are encouraged to register for the marketplace in advance by calling Bruce McGee or Lynn Bullock at 800-252-8344.

The Gathering of Weavers will also feature demonstrations and discussions on Navajo textile collecting and promises to be a wonderful day for both weavers and collectors. We’ve already got the date marked on our calendar! See you there.

Above: Weaver D.Y, Begay demonstrates natural dyes at the 2008 Gathering of Weavers.

Phoenix, AZ The Heard Museum Shop has scheduled its first ever Gathering of Weavers Marketplace for November 1, 2008. The event will be held at the Heard Museum’s Steele Auditorium.  Weavers may sell their work without any booth or participation fees, with 20% of the purchase price going to the museum to defray the cost of the event.  Sales will be rung through the Museum Shop, and each weaver making a sale will receive a check after 3 PM on the day of the sale.

Weavers are encouraged to register for the marketplace in advance by calling Bruce McGee or Lynn Bullock at 800-252-8344.

The Gathering of Weavers will also feature demonstrations and discussions on Navajo textile collecting and promises to be a wonderful day for both weavers and collectors.  We’ve already got the date marked on our calendar!  See you there.

At left: Weaver Jennie Slick (right) and her mother Anna Ashley show a Third Phase Chief Blanket that Jennie completed last winter.