Edge of the Cedars State Park/Museum
660 West, 400 North
Blanding, Utah
Throughout the approximately 300 year history of Navajo weaving, the intricate motifs woven into rugs and blankets have been constantly evolving. Over the years, Navajo weavers have been influenced by their own desire to create beautiful patterns, by early Spanish settlers and by the operators of trading posts established on the reservation in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
Although early Navajo weaving consisted primarily of utilitarian items, such as wearing blankets, dresses and saddle blankets, this began to change as trading posts introduced ready-to-wear clothing to the Navajo people. As a result of this access to contemporary fashions, the production of wearing blankets declined and weavers shifted their focus to rug weaving.
Between 1900 and 1970, rug designs emerged which were greatly influenced by trading post operators, who worked diligently to assist rug weavers in producing the styles and patterns which ultimately became identified with specific regions of the Navajo reservation. These regional styles have become well known, and bear such names as Ganado, Two Gray Hills, Crystal and Klagetoh.
It is generally accepted that without the help of certain trading post operators, Navajo weaving may never have progressed from wearing apparel to the rug format to which we have become accustomed. Early traders were highly influential in the growth and perpetuation of Navajo weaving as a native craft, and later as an art form. Trading post owners such as J.L. Hubbell, J.B. Moore and C.N. Cotton excited the weavers with new designs and encouraged them to weave finer, more sophisticated rugs. These traders became the liaison between the Navajo people and the Anglo world, which was becoming an increasingly prevalent part of their lives.
Recently, two local trading posts have taken up where the early traders left off. Using today's technology, Blue Mountain Trading Post and Twin Rocks Trading post, in partnership with graphic designer Damian Jim and local Navajo weavers are working to create new, innovative rug designs. The results of this collaboration are featured in this exhibition.
[ Navajo Rugs ] [ Paintings ] [ DamianJim.com ] [ Home ]
This exhibit is sponsored by the Utah Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Mountain Trading Post, Twin Rocks Trading Post, Rock Speaks Gallery, and Edge of the Cedars State Park.
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