My other blog Convergence Animas

Photo courtesy of Venaya Yazzie 2015
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I'd like to share another blog I have authored. I started this blog last year after the Gold King Mine spill happened. I needed an outlet to dialogue about the disaster. The event polluted the beautiful river waters of the Animas and San Juan rivers located in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. The San Juan river runs through the Navajo Nation and has caused a great disruption of Indigenous ways of life, specifically in farming and livestock efforts.

Please share a visit this site:

http://convergenceanimas.blogspot.com/

.on behalf of water. art exhibition in durango, colorado

Beading projects in the spring

Yazzgrl Art Studio
Photo courtesy of Venaya Yazzie 2016
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spring in New Mexico's high desert brings lots of wind, and dust storms with this is time indoors. I usually begin beading during this time. I've started with these earrings.

I buy my beads locally from a small business outfit, I just purchases these beautyful 13" cut beads in hues of turquoise. The white slab gem is one of 10 varieties I traded a Blue Bird handbag for. I really enjoy how these designs are coming out. 

I'll be sure to post my progress. Be blessed in all you do.

Handpainted Cluster Heart Earrings from Yazzgrl Art

Handpainted Cluster Heart Earrings
made by Venaya Yazzie 2016

My newest Yazzgrl Art Earrings.

These earrings are inspired by the Navajo "cluster" style usually made with silver and turquoise gems. These are a fun play on the jewelry, these are made on a wooden base and then hand-painted to create a turquoise-effect. They are light weight and are approximately 2.5" in diameter.

These fun earrings made by New Mexico artist Venaya Yazzie can be obtained by following this link:
Handpainted Cluster Heart Earrings

Ancestral Dine' Ruins - Frances Canyon in Dine'tah, NM

"Offerings"
Frances Canyon Ruins - Dinetah, NM
Photo by Venaya Yazzie 216

This weekend I was able to join family and friends on a trek to the area Navajo people call 'Dine'tah.' This area in the place of beautiful cedar, juniper, sage, rabbitbrush, sandstone rocks, it is in the area near Navajo Dam and Gobernador, in northwestern New Mexico.

I am always happy to visit these places which are called 'ruins', but in many ways they are still 'alive' in that the memory and time are still there. This photo was taken by me on Saturday at the place called Frances Canton Ruins. I was moved to share my 'doot'lizhi' , my turquoise earring pieces with the place while I visited.

This space is special to me and many Navajo people for the reason that it is where our Dine' ancestors built these rock dwellings called "Pueblitos." We lived here as a way of shelter from the government military and while here my people also helped shelter the Pueblo people from the Spanish government.

The area is sacred and should always be visited with respectful intentions.

Pueblo men 'adorned'

Pueblo men in Indigenous adornment
Photo via Internet by www.images2marquephotography.com

This photograph beautifully captures southwestern Pueblo male adornment. This image is wonderful as I depicts modern Pueblo Indigenous cultural adornment of three men. The necklaces they wear are standard Pueblo-style turquoise adornments. They also were southwestern concho belts made with silver and turquoise stones.