Toadlena Weaving Museum
Dances With Wool figurative weaving exhibit is now on view at the historic Toadlena Trading Post and Weaving Museum. It features some of the finest Navajo Sandpainting textiles ever created and celebrates the fifth year since the re-establishment of the post by Mark and Lerin Winter as the center for contemporary Navajo weaving on the Navajo reservation.
The essence of timelessness captured.
The roof of the exhibit space simulates the roof of a Navajo traditional "hooghan." The images represented on these extraordinary weavings entice your thoughts to the Holy People, so revered by the Navajo. The textiles are hung against a black background, giving the impression that the textiles are suspended in the nighttime sky.
The sheer number of excellent works and evocative nature of the images invites you to tour the land of the Corn People, Mother Earth and Father Sky, the Navajo Twins, Kokopelli and other mythological entities.
Works of a famous medicine man are featured.
One of the more renowned weavers featured in the exhibit is the late Navajo medicine man, Hastiin Klah. Klah is highly regarded by historians for being considered the first to utilize images from Navajo sandpaintings in his textiles.
The exhibit opened with tradition and awards.
Dances with Wool opened on June 15, 2002 with the “posting of the colors” honoring Navajo Code Talkers, followed by an opening welcome by Cherokee actor Wes Studi. Trading post owners Mark and Lerin Winter, Wes and Maura Studi and traders Chuck and Phyllis Kinsey presented awards to more than 60 weavers in recognition of their accomplishments over the last two years at juried events around the nation.
Weavers and their family members were on hand to view the exquisite collection of rugs. Toadlena/Two Grey Hills weavers featured in Dances with Wool include Hastiin Klah, Gladys Manuelito (Hastiin Klahs niece, also know as Mrs. Sam), Ruby Manuelito, Mary Ann Foster, Esther Etcitty, and Mary H. Yazzie. Noteworthy sandpainting weavers from Red Valley, Arizona and other areas of the Navajo Reservation are included as well.
Our Generations Exhibition has moved on.
Our previous exhibit, titled Generations, showcases the works of Toadlena/Two Grey Hills weavers over the last several generations, arranged by family groups. Generations was featured at the Museum for two years, and it is now at the Center of Southwest Studies at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.
The essence of timelessness captured.
The roof of the exhibit space simulates the roof of a Navajo traditional "hooghan." The images represented on these extraordinary weavings entice your thoughts to the Holy People, so revered by the Navajo. The textiles are hung against a black background, giving the impression that the textiles are suspended in the nighttime sky.
The sheer number of excellent works and evocative nature of the images invites you to tour the land of the Corn People, Mother Earth and Father Sky, the Navajo Twins, Kokopelli and other mythological entities.
Works of a famous medicine man are featured.
One of the more renowned weavers featured in the exhibit is the late Navajo medicine man, Hastiin Klah. Klah is highly regarded by historians for being considered the first to utilize images from Navajo sandpaintings in his textiles.
The exhibit opened with tradition and awards.
Dances with Wool opened on June 15, 2002 with the “posting of the colors” honoring Navajo Code Talkers, followed by an opening welcome by Cherokee actor Wes Studi. Trading post owners Mark and Lerin Winter, Wes and Maura Studi and traders Chuck and Phyllis Kinsey presented awards to more than 60 weavers in recognition of their accomplishments over the last two years at juried events around the nation.
Weavers and their family members were on hand to view the exquisite collection of rugs. Toadlena/Two Grey Hills weavers featured in Dances with Wool include Hastiin Klah, Gladys Manuelito (Hastiin Klahs niece, also know as Mrs. Sam), Ruby Manuelito, Mary Ann Foster, Esther Etcitty, and Mary H. Yazzie. Noteworthy sandpainting weavers from Red Valley, Arizona and other areas of the Navajo Reservation are included as well.
Our Generations Exhibition has moved on.
Our previous exhibit, titled Generations, showcases the works of Toadlena/Two Grey Hills weavers over the last several generations, arranged by family groups. Generations was featured at the Museum for two years, and it is now at the Center of Southwest Studies at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.