Berdina Charley

MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE:
Berdina Charley carries on the family weaving tradition. She was exposed to the Navajo style of weaving at a young age, and prompted by her curiosity, played with leftover strings and colored yarns. Now as a stay at home mom, Berdina has the time to tend her flock of churro sheep and enjoy seeing the wool reach its destination on her loom. She uses homegrown churro wool to create her yarn. And she hand dyes many of the colors with native plants to achieve the colors in her weavings. She is grateful to Spider Woman and her family for guiding her through the process of weaving. Yet, like her older sister, the creative journey with the warps and wefts has taken her beyond the regional style. Berdina loves to experiment with diverse types of weaving techniques by incorporating beads, soumak twining, and embroidery onto the surface of her weavings. This approach enhances the finished tapestry and tempts the viewer to look at Navajo textiles in a different way.