In the Park's Permanent Collection


"Miniature Basket with Snake Desgin"
Artist:

by Charlene Juan, b. ca. 1965; Tohono O’odham, Chuischu , AZ
 1 ¾” diameter
Gift of Richard and Jean Wilson
85.2.1       

In order to make their artwork stand out and entice would-be buyers, some Native American artists choose to manipulate the scale of their chosen medium.  Miniaturization is a form of refinement used by artists for the challenge of creating beautiful artwork with precision on such a small scale. They began to appear in the 1930’s and became very common items in the 1970’s. Although many Tohono O’odham baskets are made of a beargrass foundation and yucca stitching, Charlene Juan has mastered the art of weaving with horsehair allowing for finer weaving and a more distinct design. The use of horsehair is a more challenging technique to master than yucca though, and many times artists substitute silk thread for stitching instead.

This horsehair basket from our collection is slightly larger than a silver dollar and it features a design of a diamondback rattlesnake in the center with “coyote tracks” along the edge.  Because of various superstitions, many weavers believe the snake design is taboo, but some weave it during the winter months when snakes are hibernating. It is made of both black and white horsehair that offset each other well in design. The smaller design of coyote tracks is a common theme in miniatures, and puts focus on the main rattlesnake design. It is woven in open stitch, with two horsehairs at a time. Tohono O’odham miniatures are a modern form of weaving, which are popular collectables.

When scaling down the size of a basket, the artist not only deals with the construction of the piece, but also the patience required weaving on such a small scale. The labor intensive work is worth it though; miniatures are collectible and win awards at highly regarded competitions at the Heard Museum and Santa Fe Indian Market and therefore provide recognition for artists who continue to create them and come up with new innovations. The Park has several miniature items in our Permanent Collection; their small details are beautiful and impressive. Since they are too small to be used, miniature baskets are only woven for sales and competitions, and for artistic accomplishment.

The design in the center is of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, a snake indigenous to our area. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest western rattlesnake, usually less than four feet long but it can get up to seven feet. Rattlesnakes are recognized by their brownish diamond patterns on the back, with wide black and white bands on the tails near the rattles. They use poison injected through two hollow fangs to poison prey, and then due to their ability to dislocate their jaw they are able to eat their prey whole. They do sometimes also bite humans, but usually only when they feel there is a significant threat. Venomous snakes are very dangerous, and so they should be left alone. They are widely recognized as Sonoran Desert animals, and very popular symbols in Native American art.

A desert dwelling people, the Tohono O’odham Nation is located in southern Arizona .  Although outsiders once referred to them as Papago, they have always called themselves Tohono O’odham, which means “desert people,” and they officially adopted this name in the 1980’s. Many of their artistic designs, such as the snake on this basket, deal with desert life. 

Charlene Juan’s miniature snake basket was purchased in the 1980’s at the Sedona Miniature Shop by Tohono Chul’s founders Richard and Jean Wilson who were enchanted by its unique execution. They donated the basket to the Park in 1986.  The design eventually became the Park’s logo and a symbol of our love of the Southwest. In fact, our name—Tohono Chul—stems from the Tohono O’odham words for “desert corner.”

The Park is hosting “Preserve Your Treasures Day” on October 28, 2006 from 10am – 3pm , which celebrates Native American artwork with appraisers and a conservator on hand for answering questions. Bring in your Native American art from home and have it verbally appraised, or talk to the conservator about taking care of family heirlooms. We will have tours of our Permanent Collection as well, so come get a behind-the-scenes peek at Tohono Chul Park !

Sources:

Griffin-Pierce, Trudy. The Encyclopedia of Native America . New York : Viking Publishing, 1995

Jacka, Jerry, Jacka, Lois Essary. Beyond Tradition, Contemporary Indian Art and Its Evolution. Flagstaff : Northland Publishing, 1988

Krol, Deborah Utacia  “Small World, the art of the miniature”,  Native Peoples magazine, vol.XIX. number 4 July/Aug 2006

Schiffer, Nancy N. Miniature Art of the Southwest. Pennsylvania : Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1991

Tanner, Clara Lee. Indian Baskets of the Southwest. Tucson : University of Arizona Press, 1983

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