The Weaving News
A couple of times a year, I do dye classes for the Fiber Factory in Mesa, Arizona. Last weekend, we worked with various bark dyes and walnut hulls. Contemporary Navajo weavers like D.Y. Begay and Roy Kady also use some of these exotic barks, but traditional Navajo weavers have used mountain mahogany, black walnut and…
I’m getting ready for a dye class today, so I’ll just add a picture of a small (12″ x 18″) piece that I finished last week. I used hand-dyed Burnham’s Trading Post yarn in size 2. The colors are from cochineal, indigo, osage orange and aniline yellow and black. I had a lot of fun…
Every year, TahNiiBaa Naataanii seems to grow more proficient and creative as an artist and craftsperson. Each piece that she had displayed this year reflected a unique composition united by TahNiiBaa’s skill in the realization of her vision. She has been working with shaped weavings for several years and wore one of her creations as…
Sarah Natani is tireless in her efforts to extend the appreciation for Navajo culture and weaving. I found Sarah in the demontration area just across from Sallie Parker. She was patiently showing carding and spinning for fairgoers, and as you can see in the picture above her weaving expertise had been rewarded with several ribbons. …
For me, the best time to go to the Heard Museum Guild Indian Market is right at opening time on Sunday morning. It usually gives me about three hours when I can chat with the weavers and take pictures without taking time away from a potential buyer. The Heard is not a show with a…
This was a busy weekend in the Phoenix area for anyone interested in any kind of Native American art. The first event on the schedule was the Scottsdale Art Walk, a monthly event in the Old Town area. The Old Territorial Shop holds their annual Weaving Show during the Art Walk before the Heard Museum…
Tucson, AZ I spent yesterday (2/21/2009) at the Southwest Indian Art Fair, held on the grounds of the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona in Tucson. The fair draws a large group of artists from the Southwest and beyond but is smaller and more accessible than the much larger Heard Museum Indian Market…
When Jennie Slick and I began to teach classes in the Window Rock area, we wanted the looms and tools to be Navajo made. Henry Lee Dedman in Ft. Defiance, Arizona, developed the small workshop loom seen in the picture above. We really like the loom and many students have used the plan for…
Morris Muskett has added the Native Treasures Show to his 2009 schedule. The show is at the Santa Fe Convention Center on Memorial Day weekend, May 23rd and 24th. The picture above shows a small selection of Morris’ work in rings. Morris will also have a selection of his current weavings at the show. Morris’…
I’ll be participating in a informal appraisal event called a Navajo Rug Reunion in Tempe, Arizona on February 28th. Pariticpants will receive a free short form written appraisal for up to two pieces of weaving. The reunion is being sponsored by Norma’s Fine Oriental Rug Cleaning and will be held from 10 AM to 4…