Durango's Christmas Shopping Season kicks off on Noel Day and Night December 2nd, and runs from 9 am until 9 pm with special offers, raffles, entertainment and good holiday cheer, all around town!

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.

The process of creating Santa Clara, or any other traditional Pueblo pottery, is exacting and challenging. From locating the clay source, digging it out of the ground, cleaning it, creating the pot by hand using the coil method, carving or painting designs on the pot, polishing it and then firing it under a pile of Pinon or sheep manure, it is a long process.

John Moser was a man who knew at an early age that he wanted to be either an Indian or a cowboy. As a boy, John didn’t like school and preferred to hang out with the various Indian tribes then clustered in St. Louis, sometimes returning home dressed in feathers and skins, sometimes inviting his new friends to the dinner table—much to his mother’s dismay.

The Bandolier bag was first created in the mid-1800's by the Ojibwe people of Northern Minnesota. They are also known as the Chippewa or “Anishinaabe” in their language.

Anthropologists believe they settled in Minnesota in the 1500's and by the 1600's had been in contact with fur trappers who were discovering the rich trapping areas in the Northern Midwest.

Do you ever wish you had taken a picture of someone or some thing and didn’t?

That’s the way I feel about Willie Yazzie. He was a wonderful Navajo silversmith who worked for years demonstrating his art at Mesa Verde National Park.

There have been several great books written about American Turquoise, most of them photographic and with basic background on the different mines. But, unless you really are an avid fan of the “Sky Stone,” they don’t do a lot to hold your interest. Now that has changed. 

During the late 1960's and early 1970's, Indian jewelry was incredibly popular. Turquoise and silver jewelry was being turned out by shops in Albuquerque, Gallup, Farmington, Flagstaff and other "border" towns in massive quantities.

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 first time I really took the time to look at Shonto Begay's work was in the 1980s when I was judging Navajo weaving at the Santa Fe Indian Market. Back in those days, and really, still today, there are not many Navajo weavings entered at the Market. 

The most famous of all Pueblo potters is Maria Martinez (1887-1980). She is credited as having created the first contemporary black Pueblo pottery, but in reality, that is not true. They had made black pottery at Santa Clara since the 1600s.

She created the famous "Black on Black" pottery with painted mat black designs on a beautiful black finish.