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Press Release Contact: Michele Mountain, MNA Marketing Director 928-774-5213 x273

2009 Press Releases

November 13, 2009
GUNNAR WIDFORSS—PAINTER OF THE NATIONAL PARKS
First Widforss Exhibit in 40 Years at MNA
MThe unrivaled Widforss legacy of landscape realism is highlighted in the Museum of Northern Arizona’s newest exhibit, Gunnar Widforss—Painter of the National Parks, opening Saturday, November 21 in Flagstaff through June 1, 2010. The last major Widforss exhibit was at MNA in 1969. Fifty-one paintings and drawings from the Museum’s Fine Arts Collection and ten Arizona collectors will showcase the accuracy and detail of Widforss’s painting and the greatness of his body of work.

During the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, when the European avant garde ruled the art world, Gunnar Widforss (1879–1934) chose to focus his passion and his energy on the national parks of the West. And at a time when watercolors were most commonly used as a medium for preparatory sketches, Widforss chose to paint most of his masterpieces in watercolors with nearly photographic detail.

Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, Widforss traveled to Russia to work as a decorative painter, and then on to Austria, Switzerland, the Mediterranean region, and North Africa, in search of grand landscapes to paint. He led a Bohemian lifestyle, trading paintings for rooms and meals.

In late 1920, he arrived in America en route to Japan, making his way to California before his funds ran out. He painted the California Coast and Catalina Island, arriving soon after in Yosemite Valley where he became friends with Stephen Mather, the first Director of the National Park Service. Mather became one of his greatest advocates and suggested to Widforss that he focus his artistic attention on America’s national parks. It was advice Widforss took seriously for the next thirteen years.

By this time, two themes in Widforss’ work had emerged. He painted portraits of trees, from Monterey cypresses, to giant sequoias and quaking aspens, and he searched out architectural rock formations and deep atmospheric spaces, which he was able to capture with compelling accuracy. These themes traveled with him to the Grand Canyon, where he made his home on the South Rim. He exchanged paintings with the Fred Harvey Company for an employee dormitory room and meals at Bright Angel Lodge. His works were exhibited in the art gallery in the lobby of the El Tovar Hotel at the time.

Museum Fine Art Curator Alan Petersen states, “Gunnar Widforss may be the Grand Canyon painter par excellence. His style was particularly well suited to painting the canyon. And unlike most other artists working at Grand Canyon, he painted many scenes from within the depths of the canyon. On the Trail to Grandeur Point reveals his virtuoso ability to create a tangible sense of deep space. The canyon offered the dynamic visual contrast of limestone cliffs, Zoroaster Temple and Brahma Temple formations in the background, and the horizon twenty miles distant.”

In addition to Yosemite and Grand Canyon, Widforss went on to paint in many of the western parks including Zion, Bryce, Mesa Verde, Crater Lake, Carlsbad Caverns, Sequoia, Death Valley, and Yellowstone, earning him the title of “Painter of the National Parks.”

Museum Director Dr. Robert Breunig had this to say, “Gunnar Widforss is a master watercolorist. He used a very demanding medium, and his works are without a doubt among the finest watercolor paintings I’ve ever seen. He had this amazing way of evoking the spirit of a place—connecting the viewer with the place, on a very emotional level.”

In 1929, Widforss became a naturalized citizen and celebrated his fiftieth birthday. Just a week later, the great Wall Street crash doomed him to relative obscurity as sales declined.

In 1934 while in St. Louis for an exhibit of his work, a doctor warned Widforss that he had a serious heart condition that would require him to move from the Grand Canyon to a lower elevation. This came as quite a blow, for the canyon had become his favorite subject and he loved his friends there. He returned to the canyon to collect his belongings and say goodbye to his friends. While driving from El Tovar Hotel to Bright Angel Lodge, he died suddenly from a heart attack at the young age of 55.

Widforss’ obscurity is a paradox, given the fact that he is one of the greatest artists to paint the West. The story of his life and work is one of great triumph in realistic painting, punctuated by the tragedy of his anonymity and death. His is a compelling story of a Swedish expatriate who fell in love with the American landscape and devoted the peak of his career to painting the dynamic interplay between landscapes and atmosphere. His contemplative visual poems of magnificent Western vistas are what remain.

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November 6, 2009
FLAGSTAFF’S MNA CLAIMS GREENEST BUILDING OF 2009
Museum of Northern Arizona's Easton Collection Center Wins National Award in Green Building
McGraw-Hill Construction in New York yesterday announced the winners of its second annual Best of the Best Awards, a national competition that recognizes design and construction excellence based on the winners of McGraw-Hill Construction’s 10 regional publications’ Best of 2009 Awards. Winners will be profiled in the January 4, 2010 issue of Engineering News-Record.

“Aesthetically pleasing and technically challenging, this year’s Best of the Best award winners illustrate the finest achievements of 2009 in design and construction,” said Janice L. Tuchman, editor-in-chief of Engineering News-Record. “We are very pleased to showcase these award winners for the second year.”

Out of 273 regional winners, an independent jury of construction professionals selected 76 national finalists and 24 national winners in 23 categories. Projects were judged on innovation, safety, contribution to the community, aesthetic quality, and craftsmanship.

Flagstaff’s Museum of Northern Arizona Easton Collection Center took home the top national award in the Green Building category, making it the Greenest Building of 2009, and further solidifying Flagstaff as a leader in the Green Building movement. The Easton Collection Center also won the regional Southwest Contractor award, which made it eligible for the national award.

Museum Director Dr. Robert Breunig stated, “The Museum of Northern Arizona built the Easton Collection Center to provide the best possible environment for the long-term care for the Museum’s incomparable collections. From the beginning of the project, the Museum, the architect, the donors Elizabeth (Betsy) and Harry Easton, and Kinney Construction Services were not only committed to building a functional and beautiful building, but also a building that exemplified the highest standards of sustainability. We are thrilled that we have been recognized on a national level. This building should be an incredible source of pride for the entire Flagstaff community.”

The project team consisted of architectural firm Roberts|Jones and Associates, Inc. and Flagstaff-based Kinney Construction Services, Inc. serving as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR). The team’s approach to sustainable design was both holistic and practical and is entirely in keeping with the protective preservation function of this new facility. The result is a resounding success. The 17,282 SF Easton Collection Center is a truly sustainable repository for the thousands of objects that comprise the anthropological, biological, and fine art collections of the Museum of Northern Arizona.

“The design of the Easton Collection Center has been a very rewarding process of discovery for all of us involved in the creative process,” said Jim Roberts, Principal of Roberts|Jones and Associates, Inc. “Our reward comes when we see how our search for sustainability, functionality, and historical relevance converge to yield solutions that are both surprising and delightful. The visual and symbolic beauty that we discover when we strive for these abstract goals reassures us of the validity of our decision making.”

The Easton Collection Center is on target to achieve LEED Platinum Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Highlighted green building strategies included use of local materials and labor; appropriate solar orientation; high thermal mass inside the thermal envelope; energy efficient heating and cooling systems; energy efficient window systems; extensive green living roof system; water conserving plumbing systems; day-lighting; renewable energy; a high level of construction waste recycling, among several additional sustainable design and construction elements. KCS President Tim Kinney stated, “We at KCS are extremely proud to be the builders of the Easton Collection Center and feel very fortunate to be given the opportunity to work with the Museum and Roberts|Jones and Associates.”

The Easton Collection Center will be showcased with a guided tour during Flagstaff’s Greenbuild weekend on Saturday, November 14. Visit www.usgbcaz.org/northern/greenstreets for more information.

About Roberts | Jones and Associates, Inc.
Roberts|Jones Associates, Inc. enjoys a reputation as a small, highly creative and award winning design team over its 26-year history with three architects and three LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. Environmentally sensitive architecture is an integral part of the firm’s philosophy and in addition to work on the Easton Collection Center, includes environmental awards from the Electric League of Arizona, the first “Commercial Green Building” project in the city of Scottsdale, Southwest Contractor’s Magazine “Best of 2002 Editor’s Choice Award for Green Building,” and numerous awards from the Phoenix based Valley Forward Association. Roberts|Jones has been a member of the USGBC since 2001.

About Kinney Construction Services, Inc. (KCS)
Founded in 1999, Kinney Construction Services, Inc. (KCS) is a Commercial General Building and Engineering Contractor, with a client-centered focus. With five LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, KCS has constructed several LEED-registered buildings and sustainable structures, including the MNA Easton Collection Center; NAU Distance Learning Facility (anticipating LEED Gold); and soon will begin renovations on the NAU Liberal Arts Building (anticipating LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors). KCS is also serving as Design-Builder for an 800kw photovoltaic system for the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District. KCS has found strength in the diversity of their project portfolio, as they serve the commercial office, health care, retail, industrial, education, financial, and hospitality industries. Their commitment to excellence has resulted in a high level of repeat clientele.

About the Museum of Northern Arizona
Eighty-one years old, the Museum of Northern Arizona is a private nonprofit regional institution dedicated to collecting, studying, interpreting, and preserving the heritage of the Colorado Plateau. Accredited by the American Association of Museum’s, MNA engages in research in the region, offers a wide range of educational programs, and has extensive collections documenting the natural and cultural history of the Colorado Plateau. The Easton Collection Center was built to provide optimal long-range care for the Museum’s collections.

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October 5, 2009
FLAGSTAFF’S VIBRANT DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL AT THE MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA
Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead originated in Mexico before the Spanish conquest. It has been speculated that this holiday may have originated from the Olmecs 3,000 or so years ago, and been continued by other cultures such as the Toltecs, Maya, Zapotec, and Aztec. On Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, the Museum of Northern Arizona’s 6th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente, produced in partnership with Nuestras Raices (Our Roots), will celebrate Flagstaff’s Hispanic pioneer families, the pre-Hispanic origins of this celebration, and today’s traditions throughout Mexico, Latin America, and the Southwest.

This is a joyous time of the year, when memories of ancestors are celebrated and the souls of the departed return to visit the living. The Museum’s courtyard is lined with ofrendas (altars), the focal point to observing Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), each one telling a story of a Flagstaff family. Golden marigold flowers symbolize the brevity of life and lend a scented pathway to returning spirits. Candles are lit for each family member who has passed on. Calaveras (sugar skulls) sweeten the tongue and mock death with whimsy. Colorful papel picado (cut paper) banners herald the celebration. And sweet Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead) and personal items honor the dead.

Museum Director Dr. Robert Breunig stated, “This last event of the Museum’s festival season is a great time to celebrate the arrival of fall with authentic customs and traditions of the Mexican/Mexican American/Hispanic cultures. The Day of the Dead concept of a special time to reminisce and to transform grief into acceptance by creating altars, playing music, and dancing warms the heart.”

MNA Heritage Program Coordinator Anne Doyle adds, “We’re especially excited this year to have three groups who have wowed visitors at past festivals: Tucson’s Santa Cruz River Band, with their powerful stories of the Southwest and Mexico; Zarco and Carmen Guerrero and their Dia de los Muertos masked characters and musical storytelling; and Martin Espino and his “Sounds of the Ancient Americas” and over 100 pre-Hispanic instruments.

Ofrendas
In addition to the family altars, Nuestras Raices will again enliven the organization’s tradition of creating a community altar and invites the public to bring mementos of their loved ones to contribute to this special place of memory and reverence. A presentation about Dia de los Muertos traditions and preparation of ofrendas will be given by Nuestras Raices both days.

Performers
A more historically authentic musical group than the Santa Cruz River Band would be hard to find. Their music crosses cultural, as well as generational lines, and speaks directly to the heart. Ted Ramirez and Michael Ronstadt from Tucson—both multi-instrumentalists/vocalists—perform their Mexican and American folk songs with passionate intensity. Their songs are filled with the mystical lore of the Southwest, and their imagery and harmonies captivate and elevate the listener, creating a powerful sound that is receiving national and international recognition.

Zarco and Carmen Guerrero will perform “Masks and Music of Day of the Dead”. Master mask maker and performance artist Zarco delights and educates visitors with his characters—the poetry spouting El Vato Poeta, the flirtatious La Comadre, the clueless Special Ed, the wise El Abuelito, and others—all created by this prolific playwright to express the humor, and sadness, and morality of our lives. Carmen will play her guitar, charango (a South American stringed instrument similar to a lute), and accordion. The Guerrero’s are dedicated to creating a better understanding of Latino arts and are a force in the Phoenix/Mesa art scene. They have conducted national and international workshops on Dia de los Muertos. On Sunday the Guerrero’s will lead a closing ceremony procession.

Of Tepehuano and Yaqui ancestry, Martin Espino brings authentic sounds of ancient Mexico and his ancestors to life on bamboo instruments he makes or gathers. The mysterious music he plays, with its many moods and sounds, has been researched and shared among indigenous musicians throughout the Americas over many years. Since the 1980s, he has pioneered interactive performances of ancient languages and percussion instruments. The 100 pre-Hispanic bamboo, gourd, and clay instruments he plays are flutes, panpipes, turtle shells, log drums, water drums, rattles, rain sticks, and chimes, to name a few.

Flagstaff’s Ballet Folklorico de Colores will perform folkloric dance traditions of Mexico, including Danza, indigenous dances that are generally religious in nature and are performed in ritual and community settings. Also typically religious in nature, Mestizo dances are indigenous dances reflecting European influences in the steps, themes, instrumentation, or costuming. Bailes Regionales, or regional dances, are primarily social in origin and are performed by most of the ballet folklorico performing groups in Mexico and the U.S.

Los Compadres, a local community conjunto, or small group, will play familiar Mexican root music on Sunday only from noon to 2 p.m. This band has been playing together for 30 years in Flagstaff. Herman Ulibarri, owner of the Ulibarri Barbershop plays lead guitar, Frank Martinez plays trumpet, and guitarist Manny Ulibarri and rhythm guitarist Jess Rodriguez sing old favorite songs with bass guitarist Trini Logan.

Heritage Insight Programs
“Community and Family History: Yours, Mine, and Ours—Exploring Our Roots” by Dr. Rose Diaz
Dr. Diaz is recently retired from the University of New Mexico, where she was a research historian. She will share fundamental research techniques that assist the beginning researcher in looking into their own family’s story or their community’s history.

“Immigration and the Mesoamerican Connection” by Dr. Miguel Vasquez
Dr. Vasquez is a professor of anthropology at Northern Arizona University. He will bring new facts and a new perspective to his talk and slideshow about today’s hot topic of immigration and the connections between Mesoamerica and the Southwest. He invites visitors to hear a new viewpoint and explore their own thoughts about U.S. relations with Mexico and Latin America.

“Interpreting Graffiti Mural Images” by Southwest Eclectic Artists Association
SEAA uses the contemporary art form of graffiti with spray paint to depict ancient cultural images. Explore the meaning of this year’s mural images and symbols.

Workshops
9:30–11:30 a.m. both days—Flute Making Workshop with Martin Espino—$10 per person
10:30–11:30 a.m. both days—Sugar Skull Demonstration and Workshop by Nuestras Raices
11 a.m. –3 p.m. both days—Papel Picado Workshop by Susan Wilcox

Festival Artists
Francesca Anatra, Peoria, AZ—jewelry
Lawrence Baca, Santa Fe, NM—jewelry
Lucia Cartes, Flagstaff, AZ—Mexican folk art
Irene Lucero Dominguez, Flagstaff, AZ—painting, jewelry
Carmen and Zarco Guerrero, Mesa, AZ—jewelry, crafts, and books
Juan Lopez, Corrales, NM—filigree jewelry
Ralph Sena, Bosque, NM—jewelry
Vicente Telles, Albuquerque—retablos
Jimmy Trujillo, Albuquerque—straw appliqué

Kids Activities
At Creative Corner both days, kids will enjoy making Hispanic take-home paper flowers, necklaces, and masks. At 2:30 p.m. “A Piñata for Pepita” puppet show will entertain youngsters of all ages. Pepita is visiting from Mexico on her birthday. Her abuela (grandmother) is not sure what present to get for her. Will she give her a bag of wool? Seeds? Bones? Find out what the perfect gift is for Pepita.

Festival Sponsors
Sponsors for the 6th Annual Celebraciones are the Arizona Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Coconino County Board of Supervisors, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

About the Museum
The Museum of Northern Arizona’s Heritage Program offers a balance of ancient and modern cultural presentations, performances, and activities, providing visitors a deeper insight into the Zuni, Hopi, Navajo, and Hispanic cultures living on the Colorado Plateau today.

Now celebrating its 82nd year, MNA is one of the great regional museums of our world, surrounded by tremendous geological, biological, and cultural resources in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. MNA is three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff, Highway 180, on the way to the Grand Canyon. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission to the Museum is $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, and $4 children (7–17). For more information, call 928/774-5213 or go to musnaz.org.

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September 29, 2009
TRAPPINGS OF THE AMERICAN WEST CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
It was more than 20 years ago that a group of Western craftsmen—a painter/ sculptor, a photographer, a knife maker, and a saddle maker—discussed the idea of having Western fine art and cowboy gear in one show. It had never been done before, and the rest is Trappings history: the world of Western art was changed and superior Western craftsmen were elevated to the realm of artists. This is the legacy of the 20th Annual Trappings of the American West, which returns to Flagstaff at the Museum of Northern Arizona on October 10, 2009 through January 10, 2010.

MNA Director Dr. Robert Breunig stated, “The Museum of Northern Arizona is pleased to welcome the Dry Creek Arts Fellowship back. Through its Trappings exhibition of fine and functional Western art of the American cowboy, the Museum is connecting the public with a significant component of our region, here on the Colorado Plateau.”

Presented by the Dry Creek Arts Fellowship, Trappings is one of three Arizona events this year to be recognized with an ALTE grant (Arts Link to Tourism and the Economy). Funding for this prestigious award comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. The ALTE grants support projects that promote a community’s or region’s artistic resources and create cultural tourism.

DCAF Executive Director Linda Stedman states, “Trappings connects visitors to this country’s very real history of the rural culture of the West, a culture rooted in the principles of tradition, family, integrity, and hard work.”

Exhibit visitors will view and be able to purchase the work of 90 juried artists, from 14 Western states, Hawaii, and Canada, whose art preserves the time-honored traditions of craftsmanship. This year’s artistic mediums will include painting, bronze sculpture, photography, saddles, tooled leather, bits and spurs, boots, hats, knives, engraving, hitched horsehair, braided rawhide, and instrument making. Knife and spur maker Larry Fuegen remarked, “The fascinating thing is that we are all self-taught. There are no schools to learn these trades. They are passed from one generation to the next, and these art forms are really one generation away from being lost.”

A Sampling of Trappings Artists
Bill Burke, Luthier, from Flagstaff, AZ—Burke makes one-of-a-kind stringed instruments—mandolins, guitars, and banjos. And for this year’s show, he is making a small, simple guitar, common to this region, that might rest in the corner of a bunkhouse, just waiting to be picked up and played. He adds thoughtfully, “One of the disadvantages of being an instrument maker is that you keep selling the best ones to play.”

Larry Fuegen, Knives/Bits and Spurs Maker, from Prescott, AZ—In addition to his legendary work as a knife maker, Fuegen is also a master bit and spur maker. “Over the years, I’ve remained true to the original concept of ‘handmade’. I do not job out any step of the process. This is never the quickest or easiest route, but when I’m finished, I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do—make something truly unique and handmade.”

Jennifer Inge, Horsehair Braider, Creede, CO—Inge’s study of anthropology in college informs her work as a horsehair braider in many ways, from understanding the centuries-old Asian, Moroccan, and Spanish art form, to discovering ancient braid patterns. After a cowboy’s horsehair hatband caught her eye, she got the idea for her braided horsehair jewelry and says, “braiding is a very soothing and relaxing activity.”

Susan Kliewer, Bronze Sculptor, Sedona, AZ—Kliewer was the first woman to work at Buffalo Bronze Works Foundry in Sedona. She says, “My work aims to show the common thread that underlies all human experience, and which, I hope, brings us to a greater understanding between people.” Her sculptures capture portraits of Navajo families, intrepid cowgirls, majestic horses, and steely horsemen.

Thomas Lorimer, Painter, from Sedona, AZ—As with most boys, Thomas grew up playing cowboys and Indians. “This career has allowed me to keep playing,” Thomas states with a smile. He feels that it is important to tell a story with his paintings, which are primarily Western landscapes with a figure somewhere, maybe in the background, which, Thomas says, “is what engages people.”

Bob McLean, Boot Maker, from El Paso, TX—McLean’s work has been enhanced through the years by working with Mexican boot makers, who make their needles and thread by hand. He adds, “Boot making demands enormous patience, a meticulous nature, strong and agile hands, an artistic flair, and the ability to transform a customer’s idea into a comfortable and functional product.”

About the Museum
Located on Highway 180, three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff, the Museum of Northern Arizona is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission to the Museum and the Trappings exhibition is free to MNA and DCAF members. General admission if $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, and $4 children.

For more information, contact the Museum at 928/774-5213 and online at musnaz.org or the Dry Creek Arts Fellowship at 928/774-8861 and online at drycreekarts.com.

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July 15, 2009
TODAY'S EXPRESSIONS OF NAVAJO TRADITIONS
In Navajoland, inspiration for the fine arts comes from the wide expanses of earth and sky that are sacred to the Diné people. This year’s 60th Annual Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2, will focus on the collectible coiled Navajo pottery and the intricate rug weaving for which this culture is known.

Seventy-five Navajo artists will travel to the festival from all corners of the Navajo Nation, as they have done for the past six decades, continuing the tradition of bringing their artwork to market and sharing what makes their artwork distinctive. Two days of cultural immersion with prominent musical performers, a traditional dance troupe, and Heritage Insights talks give an inside look into the largest Indian tribe in the Southwest.

Hear the Navajo language, see pots of clay being formed, watch weavers create detailed designs on traditional looms, meet silversmiths, folk carvers, and painters. Enjoy the pageantry of Navajo social dances and delight in centuries-old musical traditions. And sample traditional foods—red and green chili stew, roasted sweet corn, and the ever-favorite Navajo tacos with frybread.

The Focus of This Year’s Festival
Museum Director Robert Breunig said, “This year’s Navajo Festival will honor the life and career of William T. Beaver (1925–2009) who was particularly important in bringing Navajo pottery into the mainstream, as it was nearly obsolete by the 1940s. At his Sacred Mountain Trading Post on the way to the Navajo Reservation, Beaver encouraged many Navajo potters to try new forms to attract the attention of buyers. MNA is creating a new Navajo pottery installation in the Museum’s Babbitt Gallery to highlight Bill Beaver’s important role in this art form.”

Award-winning potters Alice Cling and Sarah Natani will be showing visitors how they work the traditional local clay to form pots. Navajo pottery is produced entirely by hand via a simple coiling technique. Coils are stacked until a desired height is achieved, then pinched and smoothed into final form. The surface is scraped and may be burnished with a smooth stone when it is partially dry. Raised decorations are sometimes applied. And when the pot has thoroughly dried, it is fired and when still hot, glazed with pinyon pine pitch that darkens the surface and leaves a soft gloss. This rich brown color and subtle sheen have become identifying characteristics of contemporary Navajo pottery.

Heritage Program Coordinator Anne Doyle continues, “This year’s festival will also showcase Navajo weavers, whose art form has come to serve as a central source of cultural identity and creative expression. Remarkable weavers like D.Y. Begay, Morris Muskett, Melissa and Lola Cody, and the Ramah Weavers will be at the festival. TahNibaa Naat’aanii and her mother Sarah will be demonstrating on on ankle weaving, the table loom, and the traditional upright Navajo loom. TahNibaa Naat’aanii will also be giving a presentation on the importance of the shoulder blanket in Native cultures. There will also be ethnobotany walks, beading demonstrations, and Diné-inspired take-home craft making for kids.”

The Navajo Creation Story tells us that Spider Woman and Spider Man (two of the Holy People who walked the earth at the dawn of humankind) introduced weaving to the Navajo. Spider Man constructed the first loom of sunshine, lightning, and rain. Spider Woman taught the Navajo to weave.

Non-Navajo scholars offer a different story of the origins of Navajo weaving. They tell us that upon the Navajo arrival in the Southwest, sometime between AD 1000 to 1525, the Navajo learned to weave from their Pueblo neighbors, most likely from the Zuni or Jemez people. Originally weaving in the Southwest was done with farmed cotton, but the Spanish introduced sheep to the area in 1698 and wool became the mainstay among weavers. Since the 1600s, Navajo weaving has been dominant in the Southwest, continuing to flourish and adapt over centuries with new patterns and motifs, materials, dyes, and techniques.

The Museum has installed a new weaving exhibit that will be changed throughout the year with examples of fine weaving from MNA’s Navajo Textiles Collection. Titled Knowing No Boundaries: Adaptation and Imagination in Navajo Weaving, the emphasis in this gallery will be on the highly individualized expressions of this art form, allowing visitors to share in the weaver’s view of the world.

Under the Big Tent
Radmilla Cody will serve as emcee under the Heritage Insights tent. Cody is a former Miss Navajo Nation 1997/1998 and winner of the Best Female Artist at the 2002 Native American Music Awards. Cody will showcase songs from her CD, Spirit of a Woman, using her stunning and emotionally-charged voice to sing Navajo songs and lyrics.

Canyon Records recording artists Burning Sky with Flagstaff’s Aaron White, a Native American Music Award winner in 2004 for Group of the Year and a Grammy-nominated artist in 2003 for Best Native American Album, will perform their powerful original songs with acoustic guitar and Native flute. White’s fingerpicking style and passion for songwriting has been building followers for 10 recordings and nearly 20 years.

The Pollen Trail Dancers will present storytelling dances meant to be performed in the warm season. Emcee Brent Chase accompanies the dance troupe with his humor and Navajo flute playing. The Sash Belt or Weaving Dance tells the story of Spider Woman’s influence in weaving, the Basket Dance depicts the important role of baskets in Navajo life, and the Bow and Arrow Dance honors the warriors of old who have protected the Diné way of life.

Clarence Clearwater is a singer/songwriter who returned to the Navajo Reservation more than 27 years ago to learn to speak Navajo and to gain a better understanding of his people and their traditions. Today, his deep voice and stirring guitar can be heard on the Grand Canyon Railway as he entertains passengers. He sings traditional songs in Navajo and contemporary songs in English about his spirituality and the oppression of Native people.

Heritage Insights Presentations
Poet, painter, and consultant on Indian education and art, Gloria J. Emerson was educated in Navajo traditions and at Harvard University, and was a former artist-in-residence at the School of American Research and a former New Mexico State Arts Commissioner. She will talk about how landscape translates into art among Native people, share her personal reflections, and read from her book At the Hems of the Lowest Clouds: Meditations on Navajo Landscapes (2003).

Dr. Evangeline Parsons Yazzie, a professor of Navajo language at Northern Arizona University, will sign and read from each of her books. Winner of several book awards, Dzáni Yázhi Naazbaa’: Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home is about a time of trial, for Dzánibaa’ and the Navajo people, that gives her a profound sense of herself. Diné Bizaad Bináhoo’aah: Rediscovering the Navajo Language is a textbook to develop communicative competence.

Linguist Larry King will give a basic introduction of the Navajo language. His humorous reflections of the Diné culture in Navajo and English take his audience along a path of history and legend, and illustrate how Navajos use humor to cope with hardship in their lives.

One of today’s most important painters, Shonto Begay is a visual storyteller whose creativity brings forth paintings of wonder, sadness, and truth about being Navajo and living on the reservation. Begay uses his art to reclaim his identity and will talk about the influence of water on Navajo culture and art.

Premiere weaver Morris Muskett is traditionally-inspired and self-taught. One of a few males who weave in the Navajo tradition, he is best known for his exquisite sash belts and small rugs with color and design innovations. Muskett will talk about woven art—both soft and hard—and share the techniques he uses to work in wool, cotton, cashmere, and silver wire.

60th Annual Navajo Festival Sponsors
The 2009 Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture is sponsored by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Coconino County Board of Supervisors, Arizona Humanities Council, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and Canyon Records.

About the Museum
Now celebrating its 81st year, the Museum of Northern Arizona is one of the great regional museums of our world, surrounded by tremendous geological, biological, and cultural resources.in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. With its long and illustrious history, MNA evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau.

The Museum is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. Festival hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Festival admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 Native people, $4 children (7–17), and free to MNA members.

Become a member today in time to attend the Navajo Festival Members’ Preview, Arts Award Ceremony, and Silent Auction on Friday evening, July 31, before the festival. For more information, go to musnaz.org or call 928/774-5213.

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June 19, 2009
SUMMER FESTIVAL BRINGS THE HOPI PEOPLE TO FLAGSTAFF
Summer is the time of ceremonial dances, growing corn, and monsoon rains to the Hopi people. And for the last 75 years, summer has also been the time that this hardworking and spiritual people come to Flagstaff to share their art and culture. This July 4 and 5, the Museum of Northern Arizona will open its doors for its 76th Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture, “the Oldest Hopi Art Show in the World”.

The Museum comes alive with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Hopi people—evoking the very spirit of this Colorado Plateau culture. Explore Hopi beliefs and current issues with Heritage Insights talks. Enjoy meeting over 75 artists from the 12 Hopi villages, presenting centuries-old art traditions kept alive through contemporary innovations. And hear Casper and the 602 Band’s riveting Hopi reggae under the big tent.

The Hopi village of Orayvi is considered the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States, dating back more than a millennium. The Hopi have survived in their mesa homeland for centuries and although their culture is changing, their core values remain intact and central to their culture. At the Hopi Festival, these values are expressed in many ways.

Museum Director Robert Breunig said, “This year’s Hopi Festival will honor the life and career of noted katsina doll carver Ernest Moore Jr. (1934–2008) with a display of his work. He came to carving late in life and his exceptionally fine work elevated him to a master artist level in a very short time. He was a recognized Hopi Festival artist for many years, including at last year’s event. His skillful eyes and hands will be missed in the art world, as well as the twinkle in his eye and his friendly nature.”

New This Year
Heritage Program Coordinator Anne Doyle continued, “We’re really excited about a new addition to the festival. Katsina doll carver and poet Ramson Lomatewama has worked at the Museum for many years as a demonstrator and educator. His more recent artistic interests have led him to glass blowing. This year he’ll be outside, demonstrating how he creates his glittering, glass blown spirit figures.”

Also new this year will be a chance to meet author Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa. With seasoned American West history author Carolyn O’Bagy Davis, he has coauthored The Hopi People, part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. Koyiyumptewa is a member of the Badger/Butterfly Clan from Hotevilla on Third Mesa and has worked for the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office as the tribal archivist for the last eight years. Through a collection of remarkable photographs, the outside world will have a rare look into this unique culture. A book signing with Koyiyumptewa is scheduled on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the book is on sale in the Museum’s Bookstore.

Heritage Insights Presentations
The nuances of making Hopi basketry will be revealed by Ruby Chimerica and her daughter Anita Koruh, as they present an ongoing demonstration on weaving baskets, cradleboards, and rattles from sumac and rabbitbush.

A dynamic artist in his own right, Ed Kabotie is grandson and son to two noted artists, Fred and Michael Kabotie. Ed Kabotie plays acoustic guitar and Native flute, while incorporating teachings about the Hopi language and its history into his music. He sings in Hopi, Tewa, and English in his trilingual compositions.

Bob Rhodes and Dr. Robert Breunig will share their knowledge of Hopi basketry. Rhodes is director of Hopitutuqaiki, the Hopi School’s Summer Arts Program, and Breunig is the Museum’s director.

A rare opportunity for public participation in the exhibit creation process, cultural educator and curator Susan Sekakuku will present early ideas being explored for the Museum’s upcoming permanent Hopi exhibit. As part of the exhibit’s development, Sekakuku will present proposed themes and will be looking for feedback from the audience.

Clark Tenakhongva will talk about katsina doll carving—the history of the art form, the spiritual aspects of katsina dolls, and what the carvings represent.

Gary Tso, owner and operator of Left Handed Hunter Tours, is an energetic speaker who will talk about Hopi culture, Hopi clan migrations, the story of the four worlds, and the Europeanization of Hopiland.

Under the Big Tent
Only on Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., Casper and the 602 Band will perform their high energy, Jamaican-inspired reggae combined with Native roots. Casper Loma-da-wa’s lyrics are filled with hope and power, telling stories of contemporary reservation life. “Reggae,” he says, “is the music of a struggling people—that’s what Jamaican music is. We, as Native people, have been struggling all these years.” The band has opened for reggae greats such as the Wailers, Culture, and Burning Spear.

The Nuvatukya’ovi Sinom Dance Group will perform the Polhikmana or water maiden dance, and the koshari or clown dance to unite people and make them happy. They will also perform a Supai dance celebrating the Havasupai people. All of the dance troup’s regalia—the clothing, weaving, and tabletas or headdresses—is designed and handmade by the dancers, and all of the outfits have cloud designs for rain.

On Saturday only at 11 a.m., organizer and designer Maya David will return this year with her team of seamstresses and models from throughout the Hopi Mesas to present a fashion show of Native inspired creations.

Sidney Poolheco and Sandra Hamana will perform traditional Hopi songs, while capturing elements of change in the Hopi culture through contemporary tunes and lyrics. Poolheco’s music is often featured on KUYI 88.1 Hopi Radio.

Hopi Quilt Display
Quilting was introduced to Hopi women over 100 years ago by Mennonite missionaries. Since then, Hopi quilters have incorporated cultural symbols and designs to make quilts that are uniquely their own. Today quilts are contemporary works of art and have become part of the Hopi matrilineal society, given at special occasions such as weddings and baby naming ceremonies. A number of quilts will be on display and available for sale at the festival.

More Festival Activities
In addition to the 75 booth artists, the Museum staff has made several trips to the Hopi Reservation to collect one-of-a-kind consignment items for sale from individual artists. The collecting trips have always been an important part of the Hopi festivals, allowing artists who produce only a few items per year, or who might not have transportation to Flagstaff, a chance to market their work. Hundreds of distinctive art pieces such as quilts, rattles, pottery, katsinas dolls, paintings, and baskets are for sale at this year’s festival.

While enjoying entertainment under the big tent, take a taste of ages-old traditional Hopi foods—yeasted bread baked in an outside wood-fired bread oven, and piki, a ceremonial food made from blue corn. Alice Dashee, a potter and educator, will give presentations all day on both days about the role of corn in Hopi culture.

Award-winning potters Dorothy and Emerson Ami take visitors on a pottery making journey, discussing how they collect materials and build, decorate, and fire pieces. They create pottery in the ancient traditional way, from gathering the clay to using all natural pigments to paint their pots and sheep dung to fire their creations.

Sash weaving will be demonstrated by Louis Josytewa. All types of Hopi weaving are done by men. The long, colorful sashes that Josytewa makes are primarily used as part of ceremonial clothing.

Always popular with families, the Creative Corner outside in the courtyard will be the place for kids and the young at heart to decorate Hopi birds, work with clay, and play a Hopi hoop game.

KUYI Live Remote
KUYI Hotevilla, your Native American public radio station and a project of the Hopi Foundation, will be onsite for a live report broadcast.

Hopi Dancers at Heritage Square
The Nuvatukya’ovi Sinom Dance Group will be in Flagstaff’s Fourth of July Parade on Saturday morning, and downtown at Heritage Square in a free performance following the parade. On Sunday at noon, they will again perform at Heritage Square.

76th Annual Hopi Festival Sponsors
The 2009 Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture is sponsored by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona ArtShare, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, BBB Revenues from the City of Flagstaff, Arizona Humanities Council, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

About the Museum
The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. Festival admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 Native people, $4 children (7–17), and free to MNA members. Become a member today in time to attend the Hopi Festival Members’ Preview, Arts Award Ceremony, and Silent Auction on Friday evening, July 3, before the festival. For more information, go to musnaz.org or call 928/774-5213.

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June 12, 2009
CELEBRATING THE INNOVATION AND VISION OF MNA’S NEW EASTON COLLECTION CENTER
Caring for our collective past grounds us in the present and guides us towards the future. This core idea is the foundation of the Museum of Northern Arizona’s yearlong $5 million Easton Collection Center construction project. At a public dedication ceremony on Sunday, June 21, the innovation and vision of MNA’s new 17,283 square foot building will be celebrated.

Named after donors Elizabeth (Betsy) and Harry Easton of Sedona and Flagstaff, this future home of MNA’s unparalleled and fragile anthropological, biological, and fine art collections from the surrounding Colorado Plateau will lead the way in the care and preservation of museum collections nationwide. Its design elements honor and blend natural and man-made materials and environments, and embrace the worldviews of the region’s Native people.

“There is a pressing need for this building,” says Museum Director Robert Breunig. “Conservators and consultants have been advising MNA for nearly 20 years that we needed to improve our level of care. With this new facility, MNA will finally be able to fulfill its stewardship responsibilities to take the best care possible of Museum, Federal, and tribal collections. It represents the highest aspirations of the Museum.”

Breunig continues, “The three principles that have guided construction of this new building a commitment to the highest standards of museum collections care (including temperature and humidity, light levels, fire suppression, security systems, and infestation controls), building as green and sustainable as possible (with local building materials and reuse of old materials whenever possible), and embracing Native sensibilities in ways that increase Native access to MNA’s collections and illustrate the respect MNA has for the people and cultures of the Colorado Plateau.”

It was also important to MNA to include regional Indian tribes in the design process, so they feel comfortable in the building. Representatives of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Zuni Tribe, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe—all significantly represented in the Museum’s collections—formed a Native American Advisory Committee and participated in planning discussions.

“In answer to the committee’s requests,” says Breunig, “The building has an East facing entrance to greet the sun every morning; a circular shape to invoke the cycles of life; and connections to the natural world with its living roof, appropriate use of day-lighting, local materials whenever possible, and views of the sacred San Francisco Peaks from both inside the building and out.”

Total construction cost for the Easton Collection Center is estimated at $7 million, including building construction, architectural and engineering fees, living roof design and construction, and cabinetry. Funding for steel collections storage cabinetry, equipment, and move coordination has come from four major grants totaling $1,047,235: a 2009 Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant of $114,924 for botany and entomology cabinetry, a 2008 IMLS grant of $107,311 for textile and basket cabinetry, a 2007 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant of $575,000 for a compactor track system, anthropology cabinetry, and move coordination, and a 2006 Save America’s Treasures grant of $250,000 for archaeology cabinetry.

The Collection Center sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks and is built across Highway 180 from the Museum’s Exhibit Building, in the heart of the Museum’s historic Harold S. Colton Research Center. MNA and its architects brought a comprehensive philosophy of environmental sustainability to the design of the building, with maximum energy efficiency and minimum use of fossil fuels. It has a living roof of native grasses and wildflowers to create greater insulation, deter runoff and reduce erosion, and create additional habitat for birds and insects. The use of efficient water fixtures, rainwater runoff harvesting, and native plants saves water.

Its green building features embody MNA’s commitment to environmental sustainability and make it eligible to be registered through the US Green Building Council’s prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) certification program. Buildings are rated Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum based on a number of rating categories such as site selection, water and energy conservation, use and recycling of materials, indoor air quality, education, design innovation, and landscaping. Although the US Green Building Council determines the final rating only after buildings are actually completed, MNA anticipates that the Easton Collection Center will receive the highest LEED rating of Platinum.

The building’s orientation, thermal mass, highly insulated roof, UV filtered skylights, insulated windows, photovoltaic solar panels, and energy saving fixtures reduce the production of greenhouse gases. The building uses materials recycled from old buildings that were replaced. And where possible, the design team selected regionally manufactured materials to reduce transportation costs. In parts of the building, the cellulose wall insulation is made from recycled newspapers, and paints and other materials are low in volatile organic compounds to improve indoor air quality.

Dedication Ceremony Details
The public celebration for the Easton Collection Center is on Sunday, June 21, the summer solstice, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A Collection Center open house will be followed by a dedication ceremony at noon, refreshments, and a silent auction with works donated by regionally renowned artists. Tickets are free to members and children under 12; nonmember tickets are $20. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 928/774-5213, ext. 225 or online at www.musnaz.org/events/eastondedicate.html.

Observations from Colorado Plateau Tribes
Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, Director of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office
“My general observation is that the facility shows the Museum's commitment to the care that a lot of collections require. And, it shows commitment to the Museum's mission, for now and into posterity.”

Michael Kabotie, a member of the Hopi people
“Our ancestral Native relatives have traveled, explored, and experimented with life among the Colorado Plateau mountains and canyons for centuries, leaving a legacy through the arts, of their migrations at sacred settlements. A history that is still alive in our legends, rituals, and ceremonies, now the new Easton Collection Center on the campus of the Museum of Northern Arizona will house this ancient knowledge for generations to come and assist to understand the meaning of life, to realize that we are all citizens of this world, and to learn to appreciate each other through these sacred objects being housed at this center.”

Tony Joe, Supervisory Anthropologist for the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Dept.
“It is of vital importance sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony of all indigenous tribes throughout the Colorado Plateau be housed and protected from all natural elements as agreed by all participating tribes. And no better place to house these important objects than the Easton Collection Center, within the confines of the Museum of Northern Arizona. The new collections building evolved into a masterpiece that stands out with its architecture and beauty.”

The Creative Team
Jim Roberts, Principal Architect from Roberts|Jones Associates in Phoenix, AZ
“Designing the Easton Collection Center has been a very rewarding process of discovery for all of us involved in the creative process. The rewards of our efforts come when we see how our search for sustainability, functionality, and historical relevance all converge to yield solutions that are both surprising and delightful. The visual and symbolic beauty that we discover when we strive for these abstract goals reassures us of the validity of our decision making. These happy rewards give us cause to believe in the sustainable vitality of this new place that we have created at MNA.”

Paul Kephart, Ecologist from Rana Creek Living Architecture in Carmel Valley, CA
“The Easton Collection Center evokes the spirit of water, the connection to life within its living systems, and the spirit of place. It is an excellent example of the integration of natural process and ecological function as part of structure. Rana Creek is very pleased to have been a part of the design and implementation resulting in enhanced resource efficiency, restoration of natural habitat, and the interpretation of sustainable architecture.”

Pieter Schaafsma, Landscape Designer from Schaafsma Design in Flagstaff, AZ
“Visiting the landscape is akin to being drawn through a canyon by the continuity of visual elements which include native plants, attractive boulders, sculpted stone walls and captured views.”

The Construction Team
Mike Thomas, Project Manager from Kinney Construction Services in Flagstaff, AZ
“Kinney Construction Services has recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary in Flagstaff and the Easton Collection Center has been one of the finest projects we have ever been a part of. This project is unique in so many ways. It has been a privilege and we appreciate the forward-thinking of the MNA staff and the design team.”

More Information at www.musnaz.org/collcenter.html
About the Easton Collection Center
Key Green Building Strategies for the Easton Collection Center
Easton Collection Center Fact Sheet
Easton Collection Center Frequently Asked Questions
Importance of MNA’s Collections
Supporting Grants and Funding
Project’s Webcam

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May 27, 2009
VISUAL TALES OF THE FRAGILITY AND TENACITY OF LIFE
Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa
The Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff announces its new exhibit, Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa, opening on June 7 and running through November 1, 2009. Tuwaletstiwa’s installation combines photographs, mixed media paintings, sculpture, and text to create a poetic visual language.

Tuwaletstiwa believes there are many ways to think of language. “Language is not limited to words,” she writes. “Our first language is the rhythmic beating of our mother’s heart. Our next language is the touch of our mother’s skin. Nature has a language. In this series, I seek to create a vocabulary of textures and images that speak to the primordial and the intellectual within us.”

Tuwaletstiwa’s home and studio lie along the bosque of the Galisteo Creek in the village of Galisteo, New Mexico. In the arid Southwest, a bosque (Spanish for “woodland”) is a ribbon-like oasis of verdant vegetation existing along the margins of a stream. On September 5, 2008, Tuwaletstiwa began a one-year exploration of the bosque beside her studio. Through photographing it daily, writing about it, gathering its materials to use in sculpture and paintings, she reveals the gentle power of beauty and the universal relationship between plants and animals, germination and decay, the passing of time and seasons, and the cycles of life.

In The Bat: A Residue of Wings, a mixed media on paper, Tuwaletstiwa finds beauty in the insect wings, antennae, and legs lying under a bat’s roost. Viewers experience a scientific curiosity about the creature’s eating habits while recognizing the fragility of life.

In Taking Apart a Bird’s Nest, a diptych measuring six feet by six feet, she uses the material from one bird’s nest—twigs, monofilament, aluminum foil, hair, and a nail—to create a painting that reveals the complexity of the nest.

Language can create boundaries or dissolve them. Tuwaletstiwa seeks to dissolve boundaries between man-made and natural materials, between image and word, between photograph and painting. In the same way that words form phrases, the exhibit’s works relate to each other, forming visual poems. Throughout the exhibit we see Tuwaletstiwa’s devotion, celebration, and documentation of the web of life and our place within it. “My work is to integrate the dark and the light into a harmonious whole that speaks directly to the soul,” she states.

She writes, “In this vast high desert, a thin membrane separates the daily world and the world of the spirit. The elemental landscape of the bosque continually reminds me of the fragility and tenacity of life. It holds a deep reservoir of the unconscious.”

She continues, “The earth wraps around the bones of our ancestors, as it will wrap around our bones. Ancient rocks tell stories and winds carry tales in a language of eternal change. When I experience, rather than observe the land, I become part of it as it becomes part of me.”

MNA Fine Arts Curator, Alan Petersen, states, “Tuwaletstiwa’s work is rich and multifaceted, like the natural world she depicts. It is also more conceptual than the artwork the Museum has exhibited in the past. The importance of Tuwaletstiwa’s work lies in her ability to convey the innermost essence of her subjects, all of which are microcosms of the larger Colorado Plateau.”

“Tuwaletstiwa’s artwork reveals an exciting new perspective in the visual arts for the Museum. Her conceptual approach allows viewers a great deal of latitude in their interpretation of the work,” Museum Director Robert Breunig adds.

Judy Tuwaletstiwa was born in Los Angeles in 1941. She earned a B.A. in English Literature from the University of California at Berkeley in 1962, concentrating on the English Medieval period. She earned an M.A.T. in English Literature from Harvard University in 1963. She has produced two limited edition books, The Canyon Poem, 1997 and Mapping Water, 2007. She is married to Phillip Tuwaletstiwa of Kykotsmovi, a village on the Hopi Reservation where they lived for 12 years before moving to the village of Galisteo in northern New Mexico.

Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Museum of Northern Arizona. The Museum sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff. More information is available at musnaz.org or 928/774-5213.

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May 19, 2009
MUSEUM OFFERS SUMMER DISCOVERY FOR YOUTHS AGES 4–18
The Museum of Northern Arizona’s summer Discovery Program aims to inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the Colorado Plateau, while providing a pathway into the future. Discovery 2009 offers 50 classes and summer camp sessions that connect youths ages 4–18 to this region and draw out their natural curiosity, creating a thirst for knowledge through direct experience.

Science investigations with experts, art projects with accomplished artists, and field trips led by experienced, energetic outdoor educators provide optimal learning experiences for Discovery’s students. Low student-to-teacher ratios bring students of all ages in direct contact with the cultural and biological heritage of this region. Through hands-on explorations and adventures, children not only learn more about their homeland, but they learn how to work together and individually discover their own creative and investigative abilities.

Youth Program Coordinator Rosemary Logan states, “More than ever, Discovery serves a vital role in northern Arizona. With proposed state budget cuts in the arts and new research that suggests that children who attend educational summer programs make significant academic and social gains, MNA aims to provide affordable, quality educational programs to children of all ages and backgrounds. Discovery’s average program cost is $5.50 per hour and generous scholarships are available to families in need.”

This year’s classes offer a diverse and exciting range of opportunities to learn about the region’s incomparable traditions―fine arts, natural sciences, Native cultures, and ecology. An all-time favorite class, Urban Artist, inspires children to transform everyday objects into extraordinary works of art, while two of the new classes reach out into new subject areas. Archaeoastronomy Kids Camp-Out includes camping at MNA and exploration of how ancient people used the sun, moon, and stars to keep track of the passing seasons. In another class, Sheep to Shawl, students learn to clean, spin, dye, and weave wool. Additionally, Discovery’s Summer Among the Peaks, for ages 9–13, will celebrate 12 years of overnight camping adventures led by Dr. Andy Yazzie. These multiday camps visit many of the nation’s national treasures, including Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde National Park. They also engage in immersive cultural experiences at the Navajo and Hopi Nations, and participate in activities such as sheep herding, hiking, and camping in Canyon de Chelly, and the annual Santo Domingo Pueblo Corn Dance.

This summer Discovery continues its commitment to reach children of all ages. In addition to program expansions for preschool age children, MNA has renewed its commitment to ages 13–18 with the Junior Counselor program, Field Archaeologist, and Field Entomology classes. Additionally, Sustainable Living on the Colorado Plateau, a new program offered in partnership with the Grand Canyon Trust, will offer a weekend exploration in sustainable farming and green building at Leupp Family Farm.

Discovery’s Junior Counselor program is entering its fifth year. Junior Counselors ages 13–18 assist Discovery teachers with programs. This volunteer opportunity provides valuable job experience and allows Discovery participants to stay connected in new ways. When asked about her experience as a former Discovery participant and now three- year Junior Counselor, Kelly Reid exclaims, “"I always looked forward to summer camps at MNA as a participant. Now that I’m older, I still love camp, but return each year because of the joy it brings me to pass on my experiences to new kids.”

For reservations or information, contact the Discovery Office at 928/774-5213, ext. 241 or discovery@mna.mus.az.us. Scholarships are available and are awarded based on financial need and student interest. Class descriptions, scholarship information, and applications are available at musnaz.org.

The following sponsors support MNA’s Discovery 2009:
Albertsons Community Partners
Anonymous Contributors
Arizona Commission on the Arts/National Endowment for the Arts
Arizona Community Foundation
Bashas’ Thanks a Million
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Flagstaff Community Foundation
Flagstaff Cultural Partners/City of Flagstaff, BBB Revenues
Forest Highlands Foundation
Grand Canyon Trust
McCoy Motors
New Frontiers
Sam’s Club
Vertical Relief Climbing Center
Walgreens

The Museum of Northern Arizona is surrounded by tremendous geological, biological, and cultural resources in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. With a long and illustrious history, MNA evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau, including the Grand Canyon and Four Corners regions, inspiring a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the area. The Museum is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff, at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on scenic Highway 180.

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April 6, 2009
CALL FOR MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS
Looking for a way to get involved in your community? Have a passion for museums? The Museum of Northern Arizona needs volunteers to help move its anthropological and archaeological collections into the newly-constructed Easton Collection Center.

Detail-oriented people will enjoy constructing packing materials, inventorying MNA’s collection, and packing objects for their move to the new 17,000 square foot, sustainable building.

This is a great opportunity to work hands-on, behind-the-scenes, with anthropological and archaeological treasures of the Colorado Plateau. Work related to the move will begin immediately as collections staff prepares for the big move, taking place after the June 20 and 21 dedication weekend.

Please do not hesitate to contact Move Coordinator Carmen Li at 928/774-5213, ext. 269 or e-mail her at cli@mna.mus.az.us if you are interested in joining the team that will facilitate this exciting move!

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March 16, 2009
SPRINGS ECOLOGY EXPLORED IN NEW BOOK
Aridland Springs in North America: Ecology and Conservation, a new book on springs ecosystems, has been published by the University of Arizona Press. Edited by Lawrence E. Stevens and Vicky J. Meretsky, the book addresses the science and politics of springs—a timely subject as groundwater depletion across the continent and other human impacts rapidly decimate these vital sources of life and water.

The 27 dynamic, interdisciplinary contributors gathered at two symposia in Tucson, the first at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in 2000 and the second at the Ecological Society of America meeting in 2002. This volume is a comprehensive assemblage of chapters on subjects presented at those gatherings, as well as others that arose from panel discussions.

Larry Stevens says, “Springs are the most biologically diverse, productive, and highly threatened ecosystems on Earth, and we hope this book is the first step in a national and global initiative to improve the stewardship of springs.”

Dr. Stevens is curator of ecology and conservation at the Museum of Northern Arizona and the senior science advisor for the Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, Inc. in Flagstaff. Meretsky is an associate professor of conservation biology at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington.

In the book’s foreword, one of the Southwest’s best-known authors, Gary Paul Nabhan of the Southwest Center of the University of Arizona, states, “…a collection of writings about freshwater springs must be considered a sort of historical wonder: that we have paid immense attention to both river water and groundwater but not to one of the most vital linkages between the aquatic habitats, where underground aquifers literally bubble up to the surface, creating streams and wetlands.”

Nabhan continues, “We are beginning to fathom the geological, biological, and cultural significance of springs, and this understanding will, we hope, be inspiring enough to motivate us to protect and restore these habitats before they blink out, one by one, like so many isolated candles on a geological layer cake.”

“Here on the Colorado Plateau, there is a complex groundwater network of springs,” says Museum of Northern Arizona Director Robert Breunig. “This volume not only emphasizes the importance of these ecologically and culturally significant habitats, but it presents a road map for future springs ecosystem study and management.”

This book’s contributors provide an in-depth overview of issues critical for improving the knowledge and conservation of springs, going beyond examining the ecological importance of springs to provide practical and productive ideas for their preservation. Aridland Springs in North America is available in Flagstaff at the Museum of Northern Arizona’s Bookstore or by calling 928/774-5213, ext. 261.

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February 25, 2009
EXPLORE THE SCIENTIFIC WONDERS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA WITH THE EXPLORATION PASS
Northern Arizona’s three premier scientific attractions have joined together to offer the Northern Arizona Exploration Pass. Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and the Museum of Northern Arizona are offering a $2 discount on admission with this pass.

Exploration Passes are available for no charge at the three attractions, as well as the Flagstaff Visitor Center next to the train station in downtown Flagstaff.

Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and the Museum of Northern Arizona share a history of scientific research and discovery. Visitors can now peer through the historic Clark Telescope, stand on the rim of the best-preserved meteorite impact crater on Earth, and experience a 93-million-year-old therizinosaur with this pass.

Lowell Observatory astronomers conduct a variety of research programs in solar system, stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astronomy. Pluto was discovered there in 1930 and today, advanced astronomical concepts are now fun and accessible at the John Vickers McAllister Space Theatre. This computer-based planetarium has 15-minute shows from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and five-minute shows with the 24-inch Clark Telescope viewings in the evenings. The Rotunda Museum offers historic exhibits and hands-on children’s exhibits, and the Pluto Walk explores the scale of our solar system. Lowell Observatory is located on Mars Hill next to Flagstaff’s downtown and is open November through February from noon to 5 p.m. and March through October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nighttime programs begin at lowell.edu or 928/233-3211.

Meteor Crater is over 4,000 feet across and 550 feet deep. There is a crater observation area and for those with proper hiking shoes, there are one-hour guided rim tours from 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., weather permitting. The Visitor Center has new displays on the never-ending process of impacts and collisions in our solar system. The Learning Center offers 24 exhibits about space, meteorites and asteroids, the solar system, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that impacted Jupiter. An actual Apollo space test capsule complements the American Astronaut Wall of Fame. And a ten-minute movie, Collisions and Impacts, about themes in the interactive displays, shows twice each hour. There is also a Gift Shop, a Subway sandwich shop, and an RV Park. Meteor Crater is located off of Interstate 40 at Exit 233, 35 miles east of Flagstaff. Crater information is at meteorcrater.com or 928/289-5898.

Serving as a gateway to understanding this unique region, the Museum of Northern Arizona evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau. Visitors experience Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences, and fine arts in nine exhibit galleries. Therizinosaur—Mystery of the Sickle-Claw Dinosaur exhibits the most complete therizinosaur skeleton ever found from the newest and strangest dinosaur in North America. This was a once-in-a-lifetime find by MNA paleontologists and now the actual skeleton can be seen, just as it was found in the Tropic Shale rock in Big Water, Utah. A 13-foot tall mold of every bone has been assembled into an upright, in-motion stance, accompanied by interactive activities. The Museum Shop and
Bookstore are also on-site. The Museum is located three miles north of downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180.

Additional information is available at musnaz.org or 928/774-5213.

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January 26, 2009
HAVASUPAI EXHIBIT OPENS WITH FREE PUBLIC RECEPTION AT MNA
On Sunday, February 8 from 2–4 p.m., the Museum of Northern Arizona will host a free reception open to the public to highlight its new exhibit I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People. This exhibit is owned by the Havasupai Tribe and was developed by the Grand Canyon Association, with the guidance and blessings of the Havasupai people.

The I Am the Grand Canyon exhibit is a first-time photographic look at the Havasupai people of the Grand Canyon—their origins, history, art, and culture—from the 2006 book of the same name by author Stephen Hirst and principal photographer Lois Hirst. Their book and the exhibit are the outcome of their forty-year relationship with the Havasupai people and the eleven years they lived in their midst as educators. Historic and contemporary photos of the Havasupai people and homeland, some never before shown, accompany examples of Havasupai music and language, one of the oldest and most actively used indigenous languages of North America.

MNA Director Robert Breunig stated, “The Havasupai people call themselves Havsuw ‘Baaja or people of the blue green water. Their land is known worldwide for the beauty of Havasu Canyon and the dramatic blue green waterfalls of Havasu Creek. But, the world may not know as much about the Havasupai people’s efforts to preserve their land, and their determination to preserve their ancient cultural heritage and language. I am very excited that this exhibit and the Hirsts’ book give the Havasupai people a new way to share this information.”

At the exhibit opening reception, Stephen and Lois Hirst will talk about their experiences with the Havasupai and the recent flooding of the village of Supai.

Terry and Lyntha Eiler will present photos and also share stories about the years they lived with the Havasupai. Terry Eiler is director and professor of photography in the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University. Lyntha Eiler is a professional photographer. They lived and worked in the Southwest for many years, documenting the lives of Native peoples for such prestigious publications as National Geographic. Residing at Havasupai in the 1970s, they provided the photographs for Stephen Hirst’s Life in a Narrow Place, which documents the lives of 400 Havasupai in the Grand Canyon.

A special appearance by the Havasupai Dancers is scheduled and a book signing will immediately follow the program. Books will be available for purchase from the Museum’s Bookstore and all author’s royalties have been assigned to the Havasupai Tribe.

The Grand Canyon Association and the Museum of Northern Arizona are co-sponsors of the exhibit reception, with Grand Canyon National Park and the Flagstaff Photography Center.

The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. It is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available at 928/774-5213 or online at musnaz.org.

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January 16, 2009
TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS TO APPEAR IN FLAGSTAFF
Terry Tempest Williams, well-known writer and naturalist whose writing explores relationships between environmental issues and social justice, will be reading selections from her new book Finding Beauty in a Broken World on February 9 at 7:30 p.m. at High Country Conference Center on the campus of Northern Arizona University.

Hosted by the Grand Canyon Trust and the Museum of Northern Arizona, the public is cordially invited to attend this free literary event.

Williams is the recipient of the Grand Canyon Trust’s Trees Fellowship, which was established to foster broader public appreciation of canyon country conservation challenges by publicly exploring the steps society must take to sustain the health of this magnificent part of the world.

Always an advocate for a just relationship between the natural world and humankind, Williams has broadened her concerns to include a reconfiguration of family and community in her search for a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in an era of physical and spiritual fragmentation.

Williams is a Utah native, descended from five or six generations of Mormon pioneers. “I write through my biases of gender, geography, and culture,” she says. “I am a woman whose ideas have been shaped by the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau.”

Williams is perhaps best known for her book Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place (Pantheon, 1991), in which she chronicles the epic rise of the Great Salt Lake and the flooding of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in 1983, alongside her mother's diagnosis with ovarian cancer, believed to be caused by radioactive fallout from the nuclear tests in the Nevada desert in the 1950s and 60s. Refuge is now regarded as a classic in American nature writing, a testament to loss and the earth's healing grace.

Williams’ other books include Red: Patience and Passion in the Desert, 2001, a collection of essays; An Unspoken Hunger; Desert Quartet: An Erotic Landscape; Coyote's Canyon; and Pieces of White Shell: A Journey to Navajoland. She is also the author of two children's books: The Secret Language of Snow; and Between Cattails.

In 2004 Terry Tempest Williams published The Open Space of Democracy, in which she defined how we can break down the partisanship and polarization in our society so that we can come together to solve the political and environmental problems which threaten our democracy and our land.

Contact Darcy Allen at Grand Canyon Trust at 774-7488 or dallen@grandcanyontrust.org; or Cheryl Blume at the Museum of Northern Arizona at 774-5213, ext. 219 or cblume@mna.mus.az.us for more information on the event.

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January 8, 2009
2009 HERITAGE PROGRAM: Connecting through Stories and Art
MNA’s four festivals continue to foster communication and create connections through the exchange of stories and artistic expression between Colorado Plateau cultures. An in-depth mix of art, music,
dance performances, and Heritage Insights presentations focus on authentic expressions of cultural traditions, creating a community of cultural understanding and a forum for dialogue.

19th Annual Zuni Festival of Arts and Culture
Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24
The Museum of Northern Arizona partners with the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center and Zuni artists for this festival of Zuni life, language, and creativity. The finest Zuni artists travel to Flagstaff to share their art, music, and dance. Prepare to be amazed and inspired by weavers, inlay jewelers, fetish carvers, and painters. See historic film footage and learn about Zuni farming practices.

76th Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture
Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5
Award-winning Hopi artists, carvers, painters, jewelers, potters, quilters, and basket and textile weavers bring the Hopi mesas to Flagstaff during the Fourth of July weekend. Watch Hopi pottery being shaped and painted. Walk the Museum’s Rio de Flag Nature Trail with a Hopi medicine woman. Take part in insightful discussions about the Hopi values of humility, cooperation, respect, balance, and earth stewardship.

60th Annual Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture
Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2
The largest tribe in the Southwest, the Navajo or Diné are known for their spectacular weavings and innovative expressions of traditional art forms. More than 65 of the best Navajo artists share their work with visitors during this weekend. Enjoy music, dancing, storytelling, and art demonstrations. Hike with an ethnobotanist and learn the Native uses of local plant life at this colorful and exciting event.

6th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25
The Museum comes to life for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, an ancient Meso-American holiday held throughout Mexico, Latin America, and the Southwestern United States. This event is created in partnership with the Flagstaff Hispanic pioneers, Nuestras Raices. Musicians, ballet folklorico dancers, traditional and contemporary Latino artists, and ofrendas (altars) are all part of this colorful celebrationonnecting through Stories and Art

Museum of Northern Arizona
3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 • 928/774-5213 • musnaz.org
Festival admission: $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 Native people, $4 children (7–17)
Attend the Friday night Members' Previews by becoming a Museum member

High resolution jpg images are available by e-mail.

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