Irvin Trujillo: National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow 2007

Irvin Trujillo As a seventh generation Rio Grande weaver living in Chimayo, New Mexico, my work has evolved from the traditional styles of my forefathers.  I use design ideas from historic Rio Grande weavings of Northern New Mexico and add my own aesthetic by combining old ideas with my own vision.  My pieces may interpret my Hispanic history and culture, document events of the modern world, or make observations based on what is happening in my life. Most of my weavings develop spontaneously, as my father taught me.  Executing an idea means discovering and overcoming the limitations imposed by traditional techniques and looms, and adopting, or perhaps changing, solutions as the weaving progresses.  The binary logic of weaving makes the creative process and the execution of ideas inseparable. Not knowing the final outcome makes each weaving a journey.  The journey continues. My work as a child was mostly what my father taught me, which was mostly the way to carry a design.  He did not take pictures or make sketches of his weavings, but he gave me his design philosophies.  As I grew older he taught me to warp the loom, the techniques of washing, carding, spinning, dyeing the wool with natural dyes, and how to make looms. After committing to weaving full-time, I started to study historic textiles in museum collections, learning design details and incorporating them into my work. The historic blanket styles I’ve progressed through are: the Rio Grande from the Spanish Colonial Period, the Saltillo from the Mexican Period, the Vallero from the American Colonial Period, and the Chimayo from the Industrial Revolution Period.  Although uncomfortable at first, I began to combine elements from different styles in the same piece. My color palette started with natural dyes from local plants, imported dyestuffs, and then commercial dyes.  I also started to use threads dyed with the ikat process within the tapestry. The materials I use range from the rare churro wool from my sister’s sheep, to Merino wool/Silk blends and Chinese silk.   Mastery of these techniques has allowed me to weave with more detail and more complex design combinations.

Irvin Trujillo

Handmade wool weaving 54"x84" Code: 24FireworkingStars Price: $12,000.00 Style: Vallero Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: brown heather Size: 54 x 84 blanket Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving 48"x40" Code: BalancingTriangles Price: $3,000.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: lt oxford grey Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 54"x43" Code: CurvedTriangles Price: $900.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: rust Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving 48"x40" Code: FishandBirds Price: $1,600.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: natural dyed yellow Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 54"x84" Code: GoldCircle Price: $30,000.00 Style: Saltillo Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: rust Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving 54"x90" Code: IndigoMadderChimayo2004 Price: $1,200.00 Style: Chimayo Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: natural Size: 54 x 84 blanket Quantity in Basket: none
Handwoven wool Code: Plain Rug Price: $350.00 Style: Plyed yarn Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: pecan Quantity in Basket: none	Hand-woven wool rug 4'x6' Code: Soesbe1 Price: $1,200.00 Style: Chimayo Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: turquoise Size: 48 x 72 rug Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 54"x84" Code: tesselation Price: $8,500.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: wilde black Size: 54 x 84 blanket Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving 48"x40" Code: Traces Price: $4,500.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: natural dyed blue Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 4'x6' Code: ChimayoShapesUs Price: $1,500.00 Style: Chimayo Weaver: Lisa Trujillo Background: natural Size: 48 x 72 blanket Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving Code: GardenTransmission Price: $2,200.00 Style: Modern Weaver: Denise Miller Background: indigo Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 4'x6' Code: MoodyGlacier Price: $1,300.00 Style: Rio Grande Weaver: Lisa Trujillo Background: light oxford Size: 48 x 72 blanket Quantity in Basket: none	Handmade wool weaving 54"x84" Code: Grace Price: $0.00 Style: Vallero Weaver: Irvin Trujillo Background: burgandy Size: 54 x 84 blanket Quantity in Basket: none
Handmade wool weaving 20"x20" Code: 8171041 Price: $48.00 Style: Chimayo Weaver: Julia Martinez Background: natural Size: 20 x 20 blanket Quantity in Basket: none	Hand-woven scarf Code: JSW53 Price: $245.00 Weaver: Julie Wardwell Background: yellow Quantity in Basket: none
Hand-woven rayon chenille, ruana, quechquemitl Code: QQVelvetNight Price: $0.00 Background: royal blue Quantity in Basket: none