Summer Weaving in Beauty Class in Window Rock
| Click on any picture to see it in full size | ||
 Emily Malone isnt sure what Pam Root's next weaving move should be... |
 Emily moves in to help, but Pam's wondering what she was thinking then she signed up for this.... |
 All's well that weaves well, and with Emily's help, Pam decision is looking very wise! |
Tempe, AZ The day after our visit to HGA’s Convergence 2010 ended, Jennie Slick and I started a week long class in Window Rock. What lunatic schedules these class marathons? Me, that’s who. It seemed to make sense last year when I put it on the calendar, and thanks to a great group of students, it turned out to be another wonderful week of weaving on the Navajo Nation. Our students came from as far away as Australia for this session. We had our share of beautiful rainy weather that we dodged pretty successfully by taking our field trips in the morning and watching the weather reports. We even made it into Canyon de Chelly on the last day before the weather closed the tours there down for a couple of weeks.
The Spider Rock Girls came by for a visit and so did Gilbert Begay, Nathan Harry, Herman and Lula Brown, and the wonderful and encouraging members of the Navajo community who came through the classroom with stories about the ways that weaving has been part of their lives and still is. You can see the impromptu consultation that Spider Rock Girl Emily Malone did with class member Pam Root in the triptych of pictures above. Pam finished that rug by the end of the week, too. Of course, there may be some magic in the yarn that we get at R.B. Burnham and Co.!
We had a wonderful visit with Mark Winter and Linda Larouche at the Toadlena Trading Post and with Shirley Brown at Two Grey Hills. By the time that we all said good-bye on Sunday, two weavings had been completed, multiple weavings had been purchased (along with no small amount of jewelry) and we were reveling in the spirit of a class that to the Navajo way of thinking will go on as long as there is anyone to remember it. You can see our class picture below, and you can click here to view the full picture gallery of 38 pictures.
Our July, 2011 class. From row from left are Mary Walker, Pam Anderson, Patricia Whitney, Pam Root and Jennie Slick. Back row from left, Teri Taylor (and Rowdy), Paula Pavlovic, Ana Pavlovic, Bonnie Rangel and Linda Marie Golier
Hagoshíí (so long for now)
Mary Walker
Hi Mary and Jennie.
Your wonderful book arrived a couple of weeks ago and I will treasure it.
We have had a very rough six months here with Lawrence’s health. Almost lost him.
He was in the hospital and rehab for 4 months.
He is home now and is making slow but steady progress. Of course I am the care giver and can not go very far away. Even difficult to visit my 93 year old mother these days.
It is wonderful for me to read your web site and yearn to visit again.
I have a friend, ( a very unreliable friend) who says she wants to take your class and tour. We shall see. Hope it will happen.
I can’t plan very far ahead just now, but I have been doing a little weaving as time permits. It’s very busy here with nurses, pt, and ot just about every day.
I am enjoying hearing about the classes from this distance.
Your web site is wonderful and I am so happy that your business is progressing so well.
Take care. All my best, Sue