Searing sunshine
Sand storms that will make you weep
Huge expanses of sky
Snakes, coyotes, elk, and of course sheep and horses (the last two are domestic)
Mud and the dryest clay
The reddest rocks
A wide array of plants and flowers
Juniper and sage scent released in the rain storm
Fantastic sandstone formations in all shades of tan, red, and green
I grew up in Gallup, NM where many who live in the southeast corner of the reservation go to visit what was, when I was young, the largest Walmart in the world. I saw the huge lumps of mud left behind in the car washes, I attended a boarding school with mostly native children, and I took the yearly trips to Canyon de Chelly National Monument and Hubbells Trading Post with my family when I was growing up. But I never really got a chance to feel the reservation any deeper until last weekend.
I was invited to a small tapestry retreat by a group of friends who have been supporting each other's art for years now. I am still honored to have been invited. Thank you Lyn Hart, Jane Hoffman, and DY Begay for your welcome, your wonderful gluten-free cooking, your advice, and your laughter.
The retreat took place at DY Begay's reservation home not far from Chinle, AZ. We brought art supplies and got a whirlwind workshop from Lyn on art journaling. This was so much fun for me. This mixed media pursuit was something that made me let go of my notions of how things "should" be and allowed me to play. I felt myself letting go of all my recent stress just hours after I arrived.
Here are some photos of our retreat. I even got my Mirrix warped.
DY shows one of her latest weavings. (My abject apologies that I cannot remember what the title is.) The color in her work is so rich and deep. Photos don't begin to capture her use of natural dyes and color choices in the weaving.
Initial drawing for condor piece with condor photo on transparency |
Lyn Hart |
Here are some examples of the art journaling process we were exploring. This WEAVE page is unfinished in this photograph, but you can see how we created a ground color then added elements. Eventually most of this was painted over!
DY's niece came to the studio Sunday afternoon and made art with us. She is only 8 years old, but clearly has a very artistic spirit. It turns out Lyn is a good teacher of both eccentric tapestry weavers and elementary-aged children.
The group with our portrait pages.
The beauty of the Arizona desert and the calm surroundings of DY's home (as well as her spirit) left me feeling rejuvenated. In fact I may have stopped at the art store in Taos today to get a few more supplies!
I stopped along the north rim of Canyon de Chelly on my way back east. |