Good news for weaving enthusiasts and for anyone who would like to learn the difficult but fascinating art of Navajo weaving: Sarah Natani, nationally renowned Navajo weaver from Table Mesa, NM, will be returning to Trinidad in September for a weaving workshop to be held in the Trinidad Area Arts Council’s First Street Gallery. The five-day workshop is scheduled for the week of Sept. 15 through 19.
Natani came to the TAAC last September to conduct her second workshop in the region, and a small but enthusiastic group of weavers were enthralled with her teaching and her stories of traditional Navajo life. This year Natani again will be the guest of longtime friends Lonnie and Vibeke Adkisson, owners of the McCormick Building and of Purgatoire River Trading Company in downtown Trinidad.
Natani has taught Navajo weaving workshops for over 40 years in the United States and Europe. Her presentations are filled with stories about how the Navajo deity, Spider Woman, taught weaving to the people, Navajo weaving etiquette and many personal stories of her life with weaving. The course, in addition to teaching the techniques of Navajo weaving, will included a natural plant dye workshop.
Participation in the workshop will be on a first-come basis, with tuition set at $350. A down payment of $200 is required, as well as a lab fee of $125. A Navajo loom can be rented, in advance, for $25, or students are welcome to make their own.
To register for the weaving workshop, or for more information about it, contact the TAAC at 719-846-1441.