Sunset. Fire. Rainbow. Drawing on such common occurrences of light, Navajo artists have crafted an uncommon array of design in colored glass beads. Beadwork is an art form introduced to the Navajos through other Indian and Euro-American contacts, but it is one that they have truly made their own. More than simple crafts, Navajo beaded designs are architectures of light. Ellen Moore has written the first history of Navajo beadwork—belts and hatbands, baskets and necklaces—in a book that examines both the influence of Navajo beliefs in the creation of this art and the primacy of light and color in Navajo culture. Navajo Beadwork: Architectures of Light traces the evolution of the art as explained by traders, Navajo consultants, and Navajo beadworkers themselves. It also shares the visions, words, and art of 23 individual artists to reveal the influences on their creativity and show how they go about creating their designs. As Moore reveals, Navajo beadwork is based on an aggregate of beliefs, categories, and symbols that are individually interpreted and transposed into beaded designs. Most designs are generated from close observation of light in the natural world, then structured according to either Navajo tradition or the newer spirituality of the Native American Church. For many beadworkers, creating designs taps deeply embedded beliefs so that beaded objects reflect their thoughts and prayers, their aesthetic sensibilities, and their sense of being Navajo—but above all, their attention to light and its properties. No other book offers such an intimate view of this creative process, and its striking color plates attest to the wondrous results. Navajo Beadwork: Architectures of Light is a valuable record of ethnographic research and a rich source of artistic insight for lovers of beadwork and Native American art.
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Moore does not succumb to modernist aesthetics. Her book provides a refreshing and welcoming change. . .” —New Mexico Historical Review
About the Author
Ellen Moore is Curator of Education at the Roswell Museum and Art Center.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Contents,
This review is from: Navajo Beadwork: Architectures of Light (Hardcover)
Navajo Beadwork : Architectures of Light by Ellen K. Moore.
This book is a history of Navajo beadwork (belts, hatbands, baskets, necklaces, etc.) but has a selection of color photographs. Contents: The Ethnographic Process / Underpinnings : Themes of the Book / Beads in Navajo Life and Oral Tradition : A Continuum from Past to Present / Oral History of Navajo Woven and Stitched Beadwork / Architecture of Light : Tsodizin, Nitsahakees / Bringing the Design to Life : Nahata, Iina. The evolution of the art of Navajo beading explained by traders, and Navajo consultants and beadworkers. Features 23 individual artists. 248 pages, 38 color plates.
1.0 out of 5 stars
text history and generalizations,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Navajo Beadwork: Architectures of Light (Hardcover)
Written by the curator of education at the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the book discusses Navajo beading thought and history, examining ideas to the point of exhaustion. I expected far more representations from Navaho artists--many color plates are small fobs and bookmarks for the tourist trade. This is not for beaders who want to expand their knowledge of color or design elements.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
