Meet&CoCALHOUN, Ga. — American Dakota has partnered with Navajo artist Mary Henderson Begay to reinterpret one of her award-winning, handwoven designs into a machine-made rug collection, making her art more accessible to homeowners.
Image source: https://americandakota.com/
The new line, named “Blue Ribbon” in honor of Begay’s first-prize-winning original, splits profits 50/50 with the artist—a model the company uses to provide ongoing, passive income to Native weavers. Begay, a recipient of the 2018 Living Legend Award and a former demonstrator at Hubbell Trading Post, wove for over 40 years using traditional vertical looms.
American Dakota owner Mark Ford expressed pride in the partnership, noting that sending monthly checks to artists allows them to earn from a design long after the original sale. The Blue Ribbon rug is available in seven sizes through the company’s dealers.
This spring, Begay’s daughter, Gloria Fain—also an accomplished weaver—will debut three machine-made rugs based on her own contemporary Navajo patterns. Fain described the collaboration as exciting, seeing it as a way to evolve the craft while honoring her family’s legacy. She emphasized that her work, while sometimes abstract and featuring bright vegetable dyes like cochineal red and indigo blue, remains rooted in tradition and approved by her family and cultural elders.
