Eyedazzlers

Another museum trip this week.

      The new American Indian art galleries at the Denver Art Museum opened recently with intensely colored Navajo weavings from the museum's collection hanging just inside the main entrance.

        Navajo weavers tradtionally dyed their yarn with vegetal dyes which gave subtle colors. When the brightly colored yarns dyed with aniline dyes became available in the mid-1800's, the Navajo embraced the opportunity to use them to great effect.  These blankets, so contemporary in design, were woven and most popular among collectors during the last 20 years of the 19th century. They came to be called Eyedazzlers.  And they are dazzling, almost hypnotizing.  I could scarcely pull myself away.  Now I have a delicious urge to knit off-kilter geometric designs with oranges and reds next to deep blues and tawny golds.  

        Well, you see how I am.
photo © C. Oberle 2011