Burnham Area Weavings
For many years, regional weavings have continued to change and evolve, but still within the recognized regional guidelines. In the late 1970's, a group of five sisters from the Burnham area on the Navajo Nation began a new journey in the history of Navajo weaving. They began to combine patterns and designs from all of the weaving areas, along with pictorial elements and patterns of their own.
Because they had a limited number of sheep, they obtained sheared fleeces from Utah State University, where a program is in the process of rebuilding herds of the original Navajo sheep, the Churro. This breed can live easily in the desert southwest and provides wonderful strong, long wool which can be finely spun.
Today many people copy their work and many do it well. But unlike traditional patterned weavings, their designs are constantly changing and evolving. The Burnham weavers have carried Navajo weaving to a unique level of fine art.
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"In the shadow of the Yei"- by Alice Begay. Burnham style weaver Alice Begay weaves creative story telling wall hangings. Pictured here we have male dancers that have shadows of the Yei figures that are most likely their protectors.
"Looking for the Runaway Pony" by Burnham weaver Alice Begay, is handspun and hand dyed wool. This contemporary Navajo weaving is a fine example of the traditional artform taken to new creative ends. There is a central image in a pictorial style of the ponies, surrounded by a Storm pattern with a pictorial landscape at the bottom. The natural wool colors are finely spun and woven with expertise.
Burnham weaver Sandy Begay, has titled her weaving "My Woman". In the past Sandy has named works The Lovebirds and such, she must be a romantic. There are two couples in two panels that are separated by a central shadow figure. The shadow has two blooming flowers in it. This piece measures 31 inches by 23 and a 1/2 inches.
Burnham weaver Alice Begay, has titled her weaving "Who is going to wear the Miss Navajo crown?" This annual event takes place at the Navajo Nations Fair, in the Four Corners area. Pictured are five women and one man, separated by columns of eagle feathers. Each figure is dressed in traditional clothing and wrapped in a woven blanket. The weaving measures 42 inches by 24 inches, the perfect wall piece.
Titled " The Dine" or the people, this piece is showing the side profile of Navajo folks of all ages. This finely spun and woven weaving in the Burnham style, is by Alice Begay of the Navajo Reservation. Alice is always a weaver of the highest quality wall hangings. "The Dine" measures 32" by 18" in rich tones of hand spun wool.
This amazing Burnham area Navajo weaving depicts a Native American couple with geometric designs all around them. This beautiful rug is of a very fine quality with lots of rusts and browns and measures 32" x 22".
This wonderfully crafted Burnham weaving was created using handspun wools with natural vegetal and aniline dyes. This piece was titled "Spiritual Gods" by the artist and measures 31" by 40" and features yeis as well as other designs.
Pictured is a Burnham weaving by the young weaver, Sally Simpson. This piece is 33 inches by 18-1/2 inches.
This hand woven Churro Wool piece was made by Bernal Begay, it measures 31" by 20" and features a scene of two Navajo couples on it.
