Spider Woman is not a Navajo Deity. The Holy Ones created her and Spider Man to weave the fabric of the universe. Today, the Navajo live in the Fourth world, called the "Glittering World."

There was a time in Navajo weaving when bright, colorful dyes created many wonderful and exciting patterns. It was almost like an explosion of joy when Navajo weavers were provided with colorful commercial yarns and aniline dyes.

Most people who know about Navajo weaving know about the Teec Nos Pos weaving area. The post is just southwest of the Four Corners, where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet.

Most people interested in Navajo weaving know that the different styles evolved around the trading posts on the reservation. Two GreyHills, Ganado, Teec Nos Pos, and about a dozen other posts have weaving styles named after them.

This past Sunday, I was giving a talk on Navajo Weavings at the Sorrel Sky Gallery in Santa Fe on the last day of the 100th Indian Market. It was a big week for Native American arts as the Gallup Ceremonial celebrated its 100th Anniversary!

All the best artists, musicians, singers, athletes, and anyone who reaches the top of their career have one thing in common: none of them had those skills when they started. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of work.

Back at the turn of the 1900s, Navajo weavers were moving away from making the wearing blankets known throughout the Southwest. The Navajo had worn these blankets for over 100 years and traded them to other Native tribes.

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.

I decided several years ago that it wasn't accurate to refer to every weaving made on a Navajo loom as a "rug." Of course, many weavings are made to be rugs, and most pieces made in the early and middle 20th century were intended for that use. But clearly, many modern Navajo weavings will never be on the floor. At some point, I decided it was rude to refer to these beautiful textiles as "rugs."

Over the years, we have sold many beautiful pieces that, years later, find their way back to the Gallery. Whenever that happens, it is always accompanied by memories of the artist.

The term, “Navajo Chief Blanket” is a little misleading for a couple of reasons. First, the Navajos really did not have chiefs.

The Navajo people wove wearing blankets for around 200 years. They have woven floor rugs for more than 100 years. Many of these pieces are currently displayed on walls as works of art, but the original intent was for them to be used on the floor.