Contemporary Chief Set (Three Miniatures)

My Diné ancestors were known in their communities as great weavers. But over time the knowledge of their individual identities has been lost, and museum labels often credit them only as “artist unknown.” After visiting an exhibition featuring 75 Navajo weavings from the 19th century and reading “artist unknown” over and over, I decided to honor these unnamed weavers. I would make 25 sets of three miniature Chief’s Blankets—one weaving for each of the 75 weavers. I felt their presence as I completed each set. Diné weavers have come a long way. When you see my work, you will know my name and where I come from. My tapestries still tell the story of our Diné history, but they also tell my personal history as an artist and a Diné woman and why I was chosen by the Weaving Gods to be a weaver. When you see my weavings, you will see me.—Barbara Teller Ornelas, artist