Art Museum of Greater Lafayette presents Navajo Rugs and Pueblo Pots. From the Compton and Hasegawa Collections, an exhibition on view through December 18, 2012.
Navajo Rugs and Pueblo Pots Image by Alex Buntin
Jean and Dale Compton’s contemporary hand-woven Native American rugs are truly works of art produced by native Navajo weavers of the Southwestern United States. One rug may take a master weaver many months to create. Handmade Navajo rugs are a sacred tradition, dating back 300 years. It is thought that the Navajo may have learned to weave from their Pueblo Indian neighbors. The rugs in this exhibition have been collected for over 50 years and display a wide range of colors and patterns.
Mike and Mary Lou Hasegawa’s pottery collection started about 20 years ago. At first, they just wanted a typical example of the type of pottery from each pueblo and bought what they could afford at the time from individuals in the pueblos. Recently, they have been more selective and focus on the better pots from each pueblo. Their collection includes pieces from all 19 pueblos in New Mexico and the one in Arizona. The pottery is handmade by 20th and 21st century potters, using traditional methods and materials. – www.artlafayette.org