FOLK ART & BASKETS

Click on the photograph for an enlarged view.

     Here is an older Holiday “scene” created in tiny, miniscule beads. The Navajo mom is working at her table – wrapping the presents for the children. I think that Sheila is AMAZING. When you realize the “scale” that she works in – she must be one of our very finest miniaturists working today.

#FOLK11436 - Navajo Mom Wrapping Gifts - 2 1/2" wide by 2 1/2" high
Price: $200

     I met Lorena this summer at Indian Market in Santa Fe, and fell in love with her whimsical, delightful beaded creations. She has a marvelous sense of humor, and at the same time – shows tremendous talent in her beading skills. She has now won many awards at the Indian Market, and I am glad to have some of her work. At Market, she had an Alice in Wonderland standing by her tree. I asked about the other characters, and she said she could go home, take a couple of months and add the Cheshire Cat, and the be speckled White Rabbit holding his clock. So I took Alice home, put her away, and waited for the other friends to join her. They arrived to complete the set, and the work is just outrageous. What a talent! This painstaking process of bead working is remarkable. So enjoy this one of a kind creation from a very promising artist.

#FOLK12824 - 16" high by 12" deep
Price: $2000 for the set of 4
Tree, Alice, White Rabbit, & Chester Cat

      Elizabeth is one of Betty Manygoats' daughters, and is a very skilled potter. Self-taught, she hand builds and fires her pieces by traditional methods. Along with traditional Navajo pottery styles that she decorates with appliqué horned toads, ears of corn, and prickly pear cactus, she also creates pictorial scenes of Navajo life for what are called "lifestyle" pots, much like the woven designs on Reservation Pictorial rugs. The figures and design elements she uses are appliquéd and glazed in lifelike colors. Her pottery often features herders on foot, horses, hogan, children, and Navajo women in various poses. Elizabeth creates freestanding figures as well as bowls and jars featuring figures in relief... As is common to all Navajo potters, Elizabeth places a final slip of pinion resin on her completed works
     Elizabeth Manygoats is from Tonalea, AZ. She signs her work, "EM" with "Dine' " and also as "E. Manygoats" in cursive letters, and sometimes dates her pots with the year they were made.
      This sculptural “clay scene” called is actually all formed out of ONE PIECE OF CLAY. It is called “Disagreements” and shows the couple, along with their dog and little lamb, sitting on separate sides of the tree trunk; hopefully they will end their dispute and come back together again! It is delightful; Elizabeth is a real talent! This piece comes with the red ribbon it won at the Museum of Northern Arizona Heritage Program Festival.
      Elizabeth was just recently in an automobile accident while returning home from the Native Treasures Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her brother was traveling with her and was killed. We are so sorry for her loss, but we are happy to report that she is out of the hospital and recovering.

#HN9911 - 8 ½” high by 6” wide
Price: $875

     Also known for her pictorial tiles – this one features the famous “Long Walk Home” You can see why she is at the forefront of this representational style of work.

#HN9912 - 4 1/4” high by 5 ½” wide
Price: $225

     Adam "Deer Mountain" Ortega from Santa Clara Pueblo started his art career in Santa Fe Indian Market. I first met him about eight years ago, before he began college. I was visiting the Santa Clara Pueblo, having lunch with my friend, potter, Debra Duwyenie, and she introduced me to her nephew. He was in the other room, drawing with pen and ink – whimsical and fun drawing of Koshare clowns. I bought a few of his drawings, and off to college he went. Now, six years later, we have re acquainted ourselves, and we will be carrying his wonderful original drawings again.
     Oftentimes laughing at and WITH the Koshare clowns, Adam’s original style of pen and ink drawings emits smiles from admirers. We are happy to have him on board once again.

#FOLK9826 - 18” high by 10 ½" wide
Price: Framed and Matted $400 SOLD

     Based on the creation tales, the sculptures of Marvin Jim reflect a time long ago, when animals and humans walked and worked together to create a new world. These traditional stories speak of conversations among all beings, of behaving in a manner of mutual respect, and of all beings having an equal position in the community. The tales of are universal interaction, compassion, and tolerance; the things necessary to live a balanced existence.
     Marvin and Grace have chosen to recreate these lessons through sculpture. Raised in the traditional way, these talented artists, carve their "upright animals" to show that there was once, and will be again, a personal connection to the animal world. Other Navajo carvers have noticed and commented on Marvin and Grace’s innovative work. It will be interesting to see how their work influences Navajo carving, and what new creations it inspires. Marvin and Grace may ultimately be viewed as breakthrough artists, responsible for a very important new movement in Navajo wood carving.
     This amazing carving is called "Dispersing Waters". It recalls the tale of when the Navajos had found temporary safety on the sacred mountains, but water from the lower world was still gushing up through the hole which had served as a passageway to the earth. Water had been pouring out so much, that the mountains were completely flooded. No humans could save them, but to everybody’s disbelief, the mountain goat was able to make the waters recede. He sent three other goats to his side; one swam north, one swam south, and one swam east. He himself swam to the west. And behold, as each one swam away from the mountain, the water separated, and whole earth was dry. Nevertheless, the water still exists, and if you look off across the fields, you will note where the earth ends and the blue horizon begins. That blue is the water, which once covered the earth and was drawn off through the cleverness of the mountain goat. What an amazing tale – and an even more amazing wood carving!

#FOLK921 - 14" high by 14" deep
Price: $975

      Ruby Grolwer Smith is known for her life size creations of sheep and goat. Her parents were the first to start this art form, and now she and her husband continue their tradition. Ruby began making these animals in 1989, and now does it as a hobby, as she and Ray both have full time jobs. Gathering aspen wood from Dolores, Colorado they look for solid white wood that has no insects. Using both hand tools and power tools, they carve the frames. She then collects the hides, cleaning them from the inside out, scrubbing off all the fat. Ruby uses lots of salt and detergent to cure the hides. She then sews the fur, which takes several days.
They is a marvelous sculptural furry example of folk art !

#FOLK1071 - 20" high by 28" long by 11" wide
Price: $400

     This is a new young carver we have just started to showcase. Burlin has an outstanding career in front of him - as his folk art is detailed and colorful. His pieces flow curves, and folds of clothes, and small details in the hands - expressions on the faces.
We like his work so much that we thought we'd show you both the front and the back of this carving. Very expressive!

#FOLK135 -Navajo Softball Player - 8 1/2" high by 2 1/2" deep
Price: $150

     This is a horse – all dressed up for work – briefcase and all! What an enchanting wood carving…..

#FOLK9827 - 13" high
Price: $200

     Just in time for Thanksgiving - a great looking turkey! Called "House Arrest" the turkey is wearing his special slippers.

#FOLK10722 - 6 1/4" high by 3 1/4" wide
Price: $85

     Here is a nice rendition of “Owl Man” – white breasted grey owl in his brown moccasins, having a little cigar time.

#FOLK10725 - 6 1/2" high
Price: $80

     Dennis Pioche is a lovely young Navajo carver. Featured in the Rosenack book, The People Speak, Dennis is one of the most talented young carvers that we showcase. He currently has returned to school to further his education and is SO proud of himself, as he is doing exceptionally well - getting great grades, and thriving in the educational setting. Dennis uses terrific colors and designs. His work is highly collectible.
These Navajo women are wrapped in their blankets- Great colors and designs- very realistic!

#FOLK9525 - 6" high
A) Price: $75
B) Price: $75

     Roosters!

#FOLK971 -
A) Purple Rooster - 6" high
Price: $70 SOLD
B) Black/Grey Rooster
Price: $120

     This magnificent basket is called “rainbow Yeis” Rainbows (na'tsi'lid) have numerous functions, all interrelated. A rainbow can serve as an encircling guardian of the sand painting. Christine weaves baskets with imaginative designs. Many of her baskets depict traditional beliefs, stories or legends; some inspired by Navajo sand paintings.
The colors here are traditional, the weave is very tight, and the design is marvelous. It is a large piece- and makes for a stunning display.

#BAS0126 -14" wide
Price: $900

     Male basket weavers are not the norm in traditional Navajo culture, but for Jamison Black, son of Mary Holiday Black- the most famous Navajo contemporary basket weaver- weaving is as natural as breathing. Jamison also has a profound belief in the importance of preserving Navajo beliefs and customs, and he realizes the best way for him to do so is by expressing them through weaving. Jamison has developed his inherent talent along with his knowledge of Navajo history. His unique combination of skill and philosophy have produced remarkable results.
The sixth of eleven children, Jamison Black was born in Monument Valley in the mid-60's. Jamison was eighteen years of age when he sat down and made his first willow basket. Like any young man, he had need of money and he could see how much his sisters and mother made when they sold their baskets. He decided to follow in their footsteps.
Jamison soon found that weaving wasn't as easy as it looked, but still, he had a knack for it. Besides he was living with the best teacher he could ask for- his mother. He had some training in silver smithing at Monument Valley High School, but soon decided to stay with basket weaving.
Living in a remote, sparsely populated desert area of southeastern Utah, Jamison's home has no electricity, no modern conveniences to distract him from his chosen occupation. He is in tune with his surroundings and nature, much the same as his ancestors.

Monster Slayer Basket
#BAS1101 -22 " wide
Price: $1100