Ephraim Anderson

MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE:
Zefren-M (Ephraim Anderson) seeks to create and sell art outside the narrow focus of Native American art into a globally mined client base. Zefren-m uses traditional Navajo derived techniques, historic, modern, material culture and uses the history of global art to create the next level of Navajo textile art. From self-sheared wool from elderly sheep herders, natural colors and dyes to modern metals and monofilaments Zefren-m continual experiments with forward thinking art that retains it’s functional use in Navajo Culture. Navajo blankets made in the present times. These weavings and textiles challenge current understanding of Navajo weaving even when traditional techniques are employed. Spinning in the raw, hand picking, carded, combed, washed, bleached, spun worsted or woolen and other techniques are employed and become part of the narrative of a Zefren-m weaving.Using paint to put old memories and the abstract into reality have always been part of my process as a weaver and designer. Many do not understand past design without seeing a representation on canvas, paper or monitor. Working with mixing colors and limited palettes creates the scenes in which I paint, or design. sometimes it is the only way to convey the humor in everyday life and it’s through paint that is can express these images. Using 1st phase techniques of navajo sliver smiths of the 1880s to 1920s with modern industrial aesthetics. Sand and tufa casting to hand forming on wooden stakes, hammers and refining silver scraps. Lapidaray are all done on antique machinery and hand shaping. Roller mill used in unorthodox ways creates much of the micro textures I use.