James Ayers Native American Indian art - Introducing Safekeeping – An homage to Navajo weavers

Introducing Safekeeping – An homage to Navajo weavers

Update March 4, 2011: Thank you for your interest in this painting. Safekeeping has been SOLD.

Purchase of this painting will help support Navajo weaving education for youth at the historic Toadlena Trading Post

Safekeeping features a c. 1880s Navajo woman wearing a traditional woven dress and holding a lamb from her flock.

Twenty percent of the price of this painting will be donated to the Toadlena Young Weaver’s Project, a non-profit fund administered by the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe.

This fund has been set up to help defray the costs of teaching traditional weaving skills to interested Navajo youth from the area of the historic historic Toadlena Trading Post in western New Mexico.

Giving back to Native American culture that inspires my work

Introducing my philanthropic artist association

The donations to the young weavers of the historic Toadlena Trading Post will be made by my new organization, Wopila Artist Guild.

This guild was created for interested artists to help sustain traditional art forms by providing support and funds for Native American youth art education.

Safekeeping will be featured in Wopila’s first exhibit.

Three of my oil paintings and three bronzes by sculptor (and Wopila Artist Guild co-founder) Craig Bergsgaard will be shown in our first exhibit, and 20% of the proceeds from the six works will be donated to help keep Navajo weaving alive for the next generation of Toadlena weavers.

The motivation behind Wopila Artist Guild

I have devoted my entire career to portraying traditional Native American culture, and have been searching for some time for a way to say “thank you” for the gift of inspiration that these cultures provide.

Last year, I discovered that my good friend, sculptor Craig Bergsgaard, felt a similar calling to give back.

Together, we formed Wopila Artist Guild to offer a gesture of thanks to the many Native American cultures that have provided our artwork with such inspiration.

The name “Wopila” loosely translates to “thank you” in the Lakota language—a fitting sentiment, we believe, for our young organization.

How you can help

Add Safekeeping to your collection and help Navajo traditional artforms at the same time

Craig Bergsgaard and I plan to unveil our inaugural Wopila Artist Guild collection for the Navajo people of the historic Toadlena Trading Post at an exhibit on June 18, 2011 at the post’s bi-annual community fiesta.

You may purchase Safekeeping now, before the exhibit opens. Price is $4,800.

You will receive your painting—along with photographs of the work at the show and printed materials after the exhibit at the museum at the historic Toadlena Trading Post closes on August 21, 2011. You are also invited to attend the trading post’s party in person and meet the weavers first-hand that inspired Safekeeping.

First come, first served basis

If you would like to reserve Safekeeping for your collection and help the Navajo weavers of the historic Toadlena Trading Post, please contact me by email or telephone my assistant Amy at 602-510-3662.