The number of weavers has dropped dramatically over the years, but the quality you can buy today is amazing! When we started doing this fund raiser, 31 years ago, we knew we would be raising badly needed funds for the CU Museum to restore and preserve textiles. What we didn’t really think about then was that we would be providing the opportunity for hundreds of weavers to continue their work. It has been a great partnership with the Museum and all of their great volunteers!

We have, without any question, the best customers on the planet! To all of you who follow our newsletter and make it possible for us to share the great works of Native and Southwestern artists, we say "Thank You!"

One of the most interesting periods in the history of Navajo weaving began in the 1880s and went through the first decade of the 1900s. It is called the Transitional era because it marked the switch between the weaving of wearing blankets by Navajo women to weavings intended for sale.

The evolution to the commercial marketing of Navajo weaving actually began in 1882 when the railroad reached Gallup. For the first time there was a way to transport goods back to the East. The trading post owners were quick to realize the economic benefits that would accompany this potential new market for Navajo weaving.

I grew up watching Roy Rodgers, Gene Autry and every other Western television star that could be found on the three stations we received on our black and white television.

The Annual Navajo Weaving Sale and Silent Auction will be Saturday June 10, 2017 at the Museum of Natural History of Utah in Salt Lake City, Saturday.

Yei and Yeibichai rugs evolved at the beginning of the 1900s when traders were encouraging Navajo weavers to replace the old wearing blanket patterns with designs that the traders could sell to tourist outlets and department stores. Different styles, like Two Grey Hills, Ganado and Crystal developed around those trading post areas.

You can spin it anyway you want, but there is nothing like the third week in August in Santa Fe! The town is bustling with energy, and shows featuring the finest in Native American and tribal art are all over town. Every gallery, shop and museum is featuring their best and you get to rub shoulders with the nicest artists and friendliest people in the world!

The Fall Gallery Walk was founded in 1983 by the four original members of the Durango Gallery Association. Toh-Atin Gallery is the last one standing of the original group and we are happy that the Gallery Association continues to grow in both numbers and quality.

Navajo Yeibichai weavings have been made since the early part of the 1900’s. They depict dancers in a healing or blessing ceremony that is performed after the first frost in the fall. The Yeibichai dancers represent the Yeis, Navajo deities, and are an essential part of the ceremony, which also includes a Navajo medicine man creating sand paintings. 

Weavings depicting the Yei figures first appeared in the Shiprock area of the Navajo reservation. They were encouraged by traders in the area and became a traditional Navajo weaving pattern. The Yeibichai weavings were a natural evolution of the Yei patterns.