Alice Begay was the first of the five sisters from the Burnham weaving area to take the leap from traditional patterns to create a unique style that has found acceptance by collectors, museums, and other weavers.

During the 1970s, we began to see Navajo weavings with more than one pattern. Some would feature two or three or more Navajo weavings woven within the borders of the main rug.

Some, like the Burnham area weavings, would include parts of different design elements from multiple weaving areas.

A couple of weeks ago, Howard Rowe and I had an opportunity to head out on the Northern Navajo Reservation to deliver some furniture to Marie Begay and her family.

In a newsletter last week, I recommended an issue of Native American Art Magazine in which I wrote an article about the contemporary weaving path that a family from Burnham, New Mexico has taken.