DOCUMENT RESUME SO 031 913 ED 445 979 Clover, Faith AUTHOR Navajo Art--A Way of Life. TITLE Getty Center for Education in the Arts, Los Angeles, CA. INSTITUTION 1999-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 123p. Getty Center for Education in the Arts, 1875 Century Park AVAILABLE FROM East, Suite 2300, Los Angeles, CA 90067-2561; Web site: http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Resources. Classroom - Teacher (052) Guides PUB TYPE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE American Indian Culture; *Art Activities; Art Education; DESCRIPTORS *Cultural Context; Heritage Education; *Navajo (Nation); Secondary Education; Spirituality; Student Participation; *Visual Arts *American Indian Art; Sandpaintings; Weaving IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This curriculum unit on Navajo art consists of three lessons, each of which can stand alone or be used in conjunction with the others. Teacher and students will explore Navajo traditions in the unit and use the insight gained to create artworks that connect people to their community and natural environment. The key artworks provide the foundation upon which the Navajo art curriculum unit is based; extensive questions and answers given for each of the key artworks allow teachers and students to explore the pieces in depth. The unit's first lesson, "Weaving as a Way of Life," introduces students to Navajo culture and its artworld through weaving. In this lesson students analyze the ways design elements repeat to create patterns in Navajo weaving and make compositions based on the repetition of design elements. The unit's second lesson, "Sandpainting: Traditions of History and Healing," introduces students to the role of sandpainting in Navajo ceremonies and to the controversial use of sacred imagery in contemporary art. After learning about the sacred nature of sandpainting and its role in Navajo spiritual life, students consider the appropriateness of studying and making sandpaintings. The unit's third lesson, "Painting as Ceremony and Cultural Expression," leads students to explore the ways that Navajo artists have been influenced by their contact with the mainstream artworld. This lesson has students examine art which expresses painters' cultural and physical place in the world and make a painting expressing their own physical place in the world. The lesson plans offer resource listings--electronic, audiovisual, and print. (BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. by Faith Clover Getty Center for Education in the Arts 1875 Century Park East, Suite 2300 Los Angeles, CA 90067-2561 http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Resources/Navajo/ index.htm I i U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND CENTER (ERIC) DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS This document has been reproduced as BEEN GRANTED BY received from the person or organization 'jet originating it. 5Q.11101A Minor changes have been made to 1999 improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. 1 BEST COPY AVAILABLE A 1 . I .1. by Faith Clover Getty Center for Education in the Arts Century Park East, Suite 2300 1875 Los Angeles, CA 90067-2561 http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Resources/Navajo/ index.html 1999 by Faith Clover Should sacred 7-flosTiko iinages be used Can art How does the (artists draw , 'I in contemporary environment be a %vay ) art? inspire artists? of life? from their , ,traditions? These are some of the questions you and your students can consider as you examine works by Navajo artists who have drawn inspiration from their Native American heritage in creating their artwork. You and your students will explore Navajo traditions and use the insight you gain to create artworks that connect you to your community and natural environment. Lesson Plans: Overview and Recommended Sequence Navajo Art: A Way of Life consists of three lessons. Each lesson can stand alone or be used in conjunction with the others. Be sure to read About Navajo Art to gain an understanding of the conceptual framework of the unit. The key artworks provide the foundation upon which the Navajo Art curriculum unit is based. Extensive questions and answers given for each of the key artworks allow teachers and students to explore the pieces in depth. Weaving as a Way of Life introduces students to Navajo culture and its artworld through weaving. Students will analyze the ways that design elements repeat to create patterns in Navajo weaving and will make compositions based on the repetition of design elements. Sandpainting: Traditions of History and Healing introduces students to the role of sandpainting in Navajo ceremonies and to the controversial use of sacred imagery in contemporary art. After learning about the sacred nature of sandpainting and its role in Navajo spiritual life, students will consider whether it is appropriate to study and make sandpaintings. Painting as Ceremony and Cultural Expression leads students to explore the ways that Navajo artists have been influenced by their contact with the mainstream artworld. Students will examine the art of painters who express their cultural and physical place in the world and will make a painting expressing their own physical place in the world. 1 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Credits and Acknowledgments Faith Clover, visiting assistant professor in art education at Arizona State University (ASU), is the author of Navajo Art: A Way of Life. Alan Jim, Dr. Clover's research partner and an art teacher at Greyhills Academy High School in Tuba City, AZ, proposed the original research ideas that led to this unit. Artists Baje Whitethorne, Sr. and D. Y. Begay gave generously of their time to be interviewed for this unit and gave permission for their artwork be featured in the unit. The Southwest Museum provided the artwork of Harrison Begay, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County shared from its collection the two historical Navajo blankets. Their curators provided valuable background information on the artworks and gave an assessment of their current condition. Special thanks go to Dr. Margaret Hardin and Chris Coleman at the Natural History Museum, and Dr. Catherine Whitaker, Kim Walters, and Barbara AM at the Southwest Museum. The sage wisdom of the following Navajo elders and spiritual leaders was invaluable in writing the sandpainting lesson: Daniel Peaches, Frank Isaac, Roy Walters, Sr., and Faye Tso. Their words were taken from the transcript of a Talking Circle on Navajo aesthetics that took place in February of 1997 through the generous funding of the Arizona Humanities Council. Artists Shonto Begay and Baje Whitethorne, Sr., were also part of these talking circles. Shonto translated the Navajo words of Faye Tso. Alan Jim developed the idea for the talking circles and led them with cultural advice from James Peshlakai, former cultural consultant for Greyhills Academy High School. The ideas communicated during these talking circles became the cultural and aesthetic foundation upon which these lessons are based. Several teachers reviewed the lessons and offered valuable advice. These teachers are Danielle Emerick, formerly of Leupp Public School in Leupp, Arizona; Alan Jim of Greyhills Academy High School in Tuba City, Arizona; Carol Bartek of Wood Elementary School in Tempe, Arizona; and Christine Rose of Glendale, California. Alfred Yazzie, Navajo language and culture teacher at Arizona State University, reviewed the lessons for cultural accuracy. In addition he and Suzanna Yazzie assisted in identifying websites relevant to the lessons. Mary Erickson, professor of art at Arizona State University and conceptual director of 2 5 Worlds of Art, reviewed the lessons for content and form. The following teachers taught activities form lessons and collected samples of student work that appear in the lessons: Alan Jim of Greyhills Academy High School in Tuba City, Arizona; Christine Rose of Glendale High School, Glendale, California; Carol Bartek of Wood Elementary School in Tempe, Arizona; and Christine Merriam of Kayenta Intermediate School, Kayenta, Arizona. Thanks to Ed Wade and Roger Clark of the Museum of Northern Arizona for their excellent advice and for access to their collection in selecting images used in the talking circles. The owners of Trails West Gallery in Laguna Beach were kind enough to spend time talking with the author about the reasons their patrons appreciate the work of Baje Whitethorne and other Native American artists. Candy Borland, program officer at the Getty Education Institute, continues to understand the importance of providing teachers with appropriate curriculum that addresses the cultural makeup of the Los Angeles area. Kathy Talley-Jones served as project manager. Madeleine Coulombe obtained image rights, and Gregory A. Dobie copy-edited the text. Electronic and Other Resources Internet Note: Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, some Web sites listed here may no longer be available. Navajo Art and Culture Maps Navajo Weaving Styles and Navajo Nation http://navajorugs.spma.org/map.html Navajo Nation General Information Dine College http://crystal.ncc.cc.nm.us/ Navajo Today: Navajo and Native News http://www.navajos.com/navajotoday/ Navajo Information and Links http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/larry_dilucchio/homepage.htm Navajo Life and Culture http://www.americanarts.com/nlifcult.htm Desert Environment http://www.desertusa.com/life.html Historic Photographs / Northern Arizona University http://www.nau.edu/-cline/speccoll/imagedb.html Spider Rock Story http://www.ilhawaii.net/-stony/lore38.html Spider Rock Painting and Legend http://www.ausbcomp.com/redman/Spider_Rock.htm 4 Churro Sheep http://www.navajo-churrosheep.com/ Fred Harvey Company http://www.heard.org/exhibits/inventingsw/index.html Painting Sage Brush: Baje Whitethorne http://www.MichaelLacapa.com/ Baje Whitethorne http://cowboyart.com/whitethrn.html Harrison Begay http://www.kiva-gallery.com/paintings/hbegay/hbegay.html Dorothy Dunn and the Studio Style http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa044.shtml Artwork by Dorothy Dunn's Students http://www.ou.edu/fjjma/studio/.index.html Weavers and Weaving Historic Photo of Navajo Weaver http://www.nau.edu/cline/speccoll/images/phrames/547a.html Historic Photo of Loom http://www.nau.edu/cline/speccoll/images/phrames/545a.html Dye Chart http://www.swjs.com/rugs/dc01.jpg Chief-Style Blankets http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/amerind/archive/exwoven4.htm Chief-Style Blankets http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/T/navajo.html Ganado Red Rug http://www.swjs.com/rugs/rg04.jpg Two Grey Hills Rug http://www.swjs.com/rugs/rg03.jpg Woven by the Grandmothers Exhibit http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/amerind/archive/exwoven.htm Hubbell Trading Post, Ganado, AZ http://navajorugs.spma.org/ Miscellaneous Navajo Rugs http://rainmaker-art.com/rainRug.html Rug Styles http://www.fourcorners.com/galleria/garlands/#Rugs Biographies of Living Weavers http://navajorugs.spma.org/weavers.html Biography of Weaver Barbara Jean Teller Ornelas http://www.westfolk.org/exhibits.weavers.html Biography of Weaver Julia Armstrong http://www-rcf.usc.edu/-lapahie/Julia.html Betty Nelson: Personal History of Rug Weaver http://www.math.utah.edu/-clemens/Stories/Betty.html Fiber Art http://www.fiberart.com Other Artists and Artworks Andy Goldsworthy http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/l/iris.html Oscar Howe http://www.huron.tie.net/Oscar/Paintings/Paintings.html Mark Rothko http://www.siu.edu/departments/cola/ling/glen_hpg/rothko.html Mark Rothko http://www.pacewildenstein.com/rothko/select.html Frank Lloyd Wright http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/0/stained.html 6 Anasazi Art http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/V/storage.html Buddhist Carving http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/S/mara.html Cheyenne Shield http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/0/shield.html Chinese Wedding Ensemble http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/T/wed.html Egyptian Art http: / /www.artsednet.getty. edu /ArtsEdNet/ImagesN /predy.html French Cathedral and Rose Window, Notre Dame http://www.ont.com/users/swanjones/notredam.htm Greek Art http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/ImagesN/amphora.html Korean Ceramic Pillow hftp://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/0/pillow.html Mayan Temples http://www.halfmoon.org/bonampak.html Persian Carpets http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/ArtsEdNet/Images/Ecology/Lankford/carpet.html Textiles as Art http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa035.shtml Tibetan Mandalas http://www.chron.com/content/interactive/voyager/mandala/detail/jformat.html Audiovisual Resources Echo Productions (1989). Separate Visions: Four Southwest Indian Artists. Flagstaff, AZ: Museum of Northern Arizona. WETA (1997). Woven by the Grandmothers. Washington, DC: National Museum of Women in the Arts. 7 10