This special exhibit of contemporary Navajo weavings features exquisite rugs and wearable pieces from the Getzwiller Navajo Churro Collection. Works in the Collection represent exciting developments in contemporary Navajo textiles, including a return to blanket weaving, the reintroduction of Navajo-Churro wool, and experimentation in the use of alpaca, silk, and other materials in Navajo weaving.

Steve Getzwiller, a native Arizonan, is a leading authority on Navajo textiles. A collector, trader, innovator and promoter of Navajo weaving for over 35 years, Getzwiller has developed lasting, personal relationships with weavers and has reintroduced use of the wool of Churro sheep, a breed almost on the brink of extinction in the Southwest. The works in our exhibit were created through a collaborative effort between Getzwiller and Navajo ranchers and weavers across the reservation. Getzwiller designs the textiles and works with master dye artists to dye the wool, and approximately forty weavers hand-weave the yarn on traditional Navajo looms. The weavers love working with the wool and are inspired by the new colors and designs with which they are experimenting.