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When you look at a Navajo rug, rich in texture and glorious in color; or a coiled basket tray; or a ceramic water jar, you are viewing New Mexican masterpieces. Ceramics, basketry, weavings, and kachina dolls reflect a proud heritage; the artwork and craftsmanship have deep roots, some tracing to prehistoric times. Traditionally created as utilitarian pieces — items you could wear or use to gather, store, or cook food — they thrive today in the fine-art community. However, these works of art celebrate the land, culture, and spiritual essence of Native American tribes.
Native treasures are sold or displayed on reservations and pueblos throughout the state, as well as in galleries and at events such as the annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in July, Santa Fe’s Indian Market in August, and the Gathering of Nations held in Albuquerque in April.
Baskets
The oldest of all crafts, basketry goes back 8,000 years to its first technique — twining. Coiled trays followed. The third and most common technique in Southwestern basketry is plaiting, which is similar to textile weaving. Each tribe — Zuni, Acoma, Rio Grande Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache — asserted distinctive styles for utilitarian or ceremonial purposes. They used dyes to color their designs; motifs often reflected the spiritual beliefs of individual tribes. An excellent place to see and purchase baskets and view weaving is at the Arts & Craft Museum in Dulce on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation.
Pottery
The Rio Grande pueblos stand out in the field of pottery, which progressed over 2,000 years and saw regional styles emerge throughout New Mexico. Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo created a pottery tradition when she made the storyteller figurine. It is modeled after Cordero’s grandfather, who was the village storyteller. Figures of children scamper around the storyteller. The double-spouted wedding jar, first made at Santa Clara, is another popular design crafted today by potters throughout the region.
Potters use the basic elements — earth, water, and fire — to work in harmony with nature. The clay and temper (sand, ground potsherds, and pulverized rock) come from the potter’s pueblo. The clays differ from pueblo to pueblo; you see the distinctive qualities — accented by regional painted designs — in the final products.
Weaving
Spider Woman taught the people to weave, according to Navajo legend. When you look at a Navajo rug, which has become synonymous with Southwestern Native American weaving, you experience a dynamic array of symmetrical designs, syncopated rhythms, and bold colors.
The Pueblo Indians probably taught the Navajos much about weaving. The Pueblos weaved with cotton on upright looms around A.D. 800. The Spanish arrived with churro sheep, whose wool was ideal for weaving, and more advanced looms. Although the need declined for woven blankets and clothing with the arrival of Anglos and the railroad, local traders near the end of the 19th century encouraged Navajo weavers to create marketable designs and styles.
For more on weaving, see "Spinning Tales"
Dolls and Gourds
When celebrating ritual events, Pueblo Indians — including Zuni and Hopi — wear colorful masks and costumes while dancing to invoke their spirits or kachinas. The Pueblos believe kachinas influence their lives and bring blessings, especially rain. From the winter solstice until the end of July, they wear a variety of costumes representing more than 300 kachinas.
For many generations, male Pueblo artists carved small replica dolls, named kachinas, to teach children about the tribe’s spiritual beliefs. They treat cottonwood with seasoned clay, paint with earth pigments, and add ornaments to each piece. Kachinas stayed within the Pueblo groups for hundreds of years. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, traders began selling the dolls.
Gourd rattles — shaken by the singer or dancers during ceremonials — vary in size and shape. Traditionally, the rattles were filled with maize kernels or a few squash seeds and were sometimes painted with designs.
GuestLife Discover — Institute of American Indian Arts
A showcase of contemporary Native American fine art and training ground for would-be Native museum professionals, IAIA reveals the many environments in which Indian artists live and create. Often referred to as the "National Collection of Contemporary Native American Art," the museum collection includes more than 7,000 works of art reflecting diverse cross-cultural influences.
The museum was formed in 1971 on the Santa Fe Indian School campus on Cerrillos Road — modest origins that exhibited the first student work in gallery spaces converted from the school’s old bathhouse.
In 1991, Congress transferred to the institute a federal building that was constructed in the Pueblo Revival style and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The museum relocated to its new home in downtown Santa Fe, one block from the historic Santa Fe Plaza and the Palace of the Governors. It continues to operate primarily as an experiential learning environment that prepares students for careers as museum professionals.
Information: (505) 983-1777.
