Maureen Hawthorn donated this unique Gourd Art Oil Lamp to the Prescott Area Women's Shelter 2011 Annual Holiday Fundraiser. This fundraiser is to be held in November at St. Micheal's Hotel here in Prescott. Next week I'll have more information on how you can get your ticket to this event.
Here are details about this Gourd art! Navajo-Churro Sheep Story Gourd Retail: $225.00 - Artist: Maureen Hawthorn
Maureen writes: "This piece contains several elements significant to the story of Navajo-Churro sheep. Including a rug on a loom, spun wool, a lamb in front of landscape of Canyon De Chelly, faux turquoise stones, hummingbird, poppies and more. This is a signed original. The design is drawn and burned pyrographically onto the gourd. Hand painted with layering of acrylic, mica powder, dyes and metal leaf. Sealed with gloss polyurethane."
"As I was traveling back from one of my trips to Montana I was inspired to create this gourd."
"On my shuttle ride from the airport in Phoenix my granddaughter and I shared a seat with an elder Native American from the Blackfoot tribe. Coincidently, he was from Montana as well."
"This man was traveling with his adult daughter to Page, Arizona. While there, he planned to choose and purchase some Navajo-Churro sheep from a breeder and transport them back home."
"I found myself enchanted by his story of how he wanted to acquire this particular breed of sheep to share and teach of their important history and culture with his grandchildren."
"Once I got home I did quite a bit of research online concerning the plight of these sheep and people as told to me. A series of federal government actions led to the almost total eradication of the Churro, negatively impacting Navajo culture, weaving, traditional lifestyle, and self-sufficiency. I have always felt very sensitive to the many forms of harmful treatment to our Native Americans. It is part of our history that I am not proud of."