Value of Navajo Sand Art

The value of Navajo sand art depends on the style and quality.

Since its inception, Navajo sand art evolved from temporary religious paintings used for ceremonies to permanent profitable designs. Navajo sand paintings require preparation and feature imagery created with distinct ingredients such as sand colored with flower petals. Mass-produced Navajo sand art brings income to the tribes but has a significantly lower value than exceptional designs created by skilled artists.

History

The Navajo, who have lived in what are now the states of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah for over 1,000 years, originally created impermanent sand art for private ceremonies and spiritual activities. They did not value the sand paintings as a permanent art form and brushed the creations away after the ceremony ended. As time passed and outside interest in the Navajo culture increased, the Navajo people began to value the tradition as a method of creating income. Today, Navajo sand artists create paintings designed to hang on walls and last indefinitely.

Purpose

Navajo sand art serves either a spiritual or economic purpose.

The first Navajo sand art had a healing purpose, according to anthropologist Terrie Wilson. The spiritual purpose of the sand art gave the practice a significant value to the Navajo people, which today extends to outsiders. Modern healing ceremonies typically include sand art and cost a considerable amount of money, according to long-time Arizona art dealer Lee Andersen.

Commercialized Navajo sand art serves a very different purpose. Skilled Navajo artists sell sand paintings for income and these may not have any spiritual or ceremonial purpose.

Preparation

Modern Navajo artists prepare to create sand art by sketching the design.

Sand paintings require preparation, regardless of whether an artist or healer creates it. Artists collect information about the subject of the sand art and pre-plan the design. Healers gather sand, organize the ceremony, and prepare the colors and chants. Sand art's creation process often lasts days or weeks.

Features

Classic Navajo sand art uses a limited number of colors related to spirituality.

Ceremonial Navajo sand art features very specific characteristics. For example, the healer creates an open side of the sand art design, which must face east, according to researcher Ellie Crystal. Other rules of authentic sand art painting include limiting the colors and symbols used. Genuine Navajo sand art also features an accompanying prayer, chant or blessing connected to the design. For example, sand art created for a wedding ceremony includes symbolism of unity supplemented with a marriage blessing. Traditional Navajo sand art values are higher than commercial designs because of the required skill and knowledge of the ceremony practice.

Components

Flowers and other natural elements add color to traditional Navajo sand art.

Navajo sand artists use ingredients besides sand. Authentic Navajo artists create color with items found in nature such as flowers and other plant life. Modern sand art, however, includes accessible ingredients such as pigments and acrylic paint. Pre-colored sand and stencils allow Navajo artists to mass-produce sand art for profit. Generic images consisting of pre-colored sands applied with stencils have less value than one-of-a-kind paintings completed by artists devoted to the craft.

References

• Anthro4n6: Navajo Sandpainting (Healing Art)
• Andersen's Americana Indian & Western Shows: "Legends in Sand: The Evolution of the Modern Navajo Sandpainting"
• Pueblo Direct: Authentic Navajo Sandpaintings
• Crystalinks: Navajo Nation
• Navajoworks: Sandpaintings

Resources

• Official Site of the Navajo Nation
• Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise: Sandpaintings