Ancient Blanket Series Fulfills Native American Artist's Dream Story-Date: 10:04 a.m. PST Sunday , September 21, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ Ancient Blanket Series Fulfills Native American Artist's Dream Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News SANTA FE, N.M.--Sep. 22--A Hopi woman makes an artist's dream come true. "I am self-motivated, raised to believe I could do anything I wanted to do," said Ramona Sakiestewa, an artist who does everything from tapestry weaving to designing the Smithsonian Institution's new building. Ms. Sakiestewa, Hopi, was born in Albuquerque in 1948, and by the age of 17 she had taught herself to weave on the vertical loom used by the Hopi. That turned into a remarkable talent. Ms. Sakiestewa used ancient Anasazi weaving methods to make beautiful blankets and build a business with Karen Hyatt in 1991, named Sakiestewa Textiles. "Being an artist is just as much of a commitment as being a brain surgeon. You have to be committed and know your work," said Ms. Sakiestewa. Ms. Sakiestewa uses a contemporary style incorporating symbols and prehistoric designs from pottery, baskets, textiles and petroglyphs. She has also been known to use the architecture of Africa, Japan, Italy, Mexico, and Peru in her unique designs. Ms. Sakiestewa became the first American Indian to design a series of trade blankets for Pendleton Woolen Mills in 1991. Ms. Sakiestewa's experience has also led her into the position of head interior designer for the Smithsonian Institution's new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Her latest project reflects the returning to a person's beginnings in a blanket series of six American Indian trade blankets called "The Ancient Blanket Series." The designs are inspired by six national monuments in the Southwest and the culture of the American Indians there. The Ancient Blanket Series is a limited edition of 1,000 of each. Ms. Sakiestewa will donate a portion of the sales to the Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, a non-profit organization committed to the educational and scientific activities of the National Parks Service. Donating to the organization is her way of honoring and thanking them for helping her in the beginning of her career. Ms. Sakiestewa says she always wanted to be an artist and says being an artist and making the dream come true is achievable, but there must be the commitment. "Be realistic and be committed. There are huge peaks and valleys, no one sends you a paycheck every two weeks," said Ms. Sakiestewa. ----- Visit Indian Country Today on the World Wide Web at http://www.indiancountry.com/ ----- (c) 1997, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. ------------------------------------------------------------