Weaving Four Corners

PEGGY BLACK

Navajo basket-weaving has experienced an astonishing revival over the last few decades, with the emergence of a new generation of female artists—each with her own distinct voice—from the remote community of Douglas Mesa, near Monument Valley. As Becky Menlove says in the preface to Weaving a Revolution: A Celebration of Contemporary Navajo Baskets, “What began as a renaissance, a rebirth of traditional basket making, soon became a revolution of design, storytelling, and distinctive art.” 

Traditional Navajo ceremonial baskets, known as “wedding baskets,” play a central role in Navajo rituals and life, and are imbued with spiritual significance. While deeply rooted in traditional symbolism and craft, contemporary basketmakers from Douglas Mesa have innovated with bold new designs, turning their work into a form of self-expression. Twin Rocks Trading Post, located in Bluff, Utah, has played an important role in the development of contemporary Navajo basketry by collaborating with artists and promoting their work. They donated an impressive collection of 250 contemporary baskets to the Natural History Museum of Utah, which reveals the breadth of innovation in the craft.  Artist Peggy Black, pictured here with her Tree of Life basket, will be teaching us the fundamentals of Navajo basketmaking in our tour and workshop Weaving Four Corners: The Art of Navajo Basketry (April 20 - 28, 2020).