“Feather People” Sandpainting Weaving

This extraordinary handwoven Navajo Sandpainting weaving by skilled weaver Dennis Long is a beautiful interpretation of a traditional sandpainting design known as "Feather People". The design features four Yei figures (healing spirits), four sacred crops (corn, bean, squash, and tobacco), and a Rainbow Guardian that protects the borders of the healing space and opens up towards the east where the sun rises. The weaving displays balanced symmetry, a finely executed tight weave, and vibrant colors that stand out against a deep grey background. Dennis takes 4-ply yarn and splits it in two, allowing for a time-intensive finer weaving with sharp detail. Dennis Long is the son of renowned weaver, Mary Long, one of the most celebrated Navajo weavers for sandpainting rugs of all time. “Feather People” is a design Dennis learned directly from his mother. Deaf and nonverbal from birth, Dennis learned to weave by sitting next to his mother while she wove throughout his childhood, carefully observ