New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-12-30
REVIVINC AN ANCIENT
ART AT SANTA FEE

To those who have fears that the
Indian OF the Southwest will perish
miserably and his wonderful arts with
him. the recent revival in the art
of Chimayo blanket weaving, both al
Chimayo and at Santa Fe, brings re-
assurance and comfort. The Indian
will not be wiped out by hunger or
disease. Instead, he will be absorbed
into the population surrounding him.
IChimayo was one an Indian pueblo,
named Tsi-mayo. Gradually, inter-
marriage with the native population
OF Spanish descent obliterated all
trace OF the aborigine, and nov Chi
mayo cannot be distinguished from
the other villages around it.
The Indian art OF blanket weav-
ing was somehow or other preserved
in Chimayo although ever the pres
cnt-day pueblos have long since
abandoned it. For many years this
beautiful art was allowed to deterio-
rate, poor cheap yarns being subs
tituted for the hand-spun yarns of
old, and cheap cotton warp was used,
making the blanket only half wool.
Indeed, so far had this deterioration
gone that the Chimayo blanket look
ed like a poor, weak imitation of a
Navajo. The demand for it fell off,
and the art OF weaving in and about
Chimayo appeared to be on its last
legs.
Some five years ago, Julius Cans,
proprietor OF Southwest Arts &
Crafts, regretting the passing of
this art which had been closely con-
nected with the country around San
ia Fe, became convinced that Chi
mayo blanket weaving could be i'm
proved and brought back again to
its former high level. The war. with
its shortage of yarn, hampered him
in the development of his ideas, but
only temporarily. To begin with, Mr..
Cans felt the colors should o be
restricted to grey, red, black and white,
SO, taking his cue from the color
scheme of the old Chimayo blankets,
had its weavers use browns, tans and
blues, He encouraged the weavers
to use every bit of their marvellous
skill in designing, so that instead of
a few, stiff, conventional patterns, de-
signs Of wonderful ingenuity have re-
suited. The very finest and strong
est yarns OF most beautiful shades
are employed. The cheap cotton warp
has been discarded and good. pure
wool warp is now being used. That
is to say, the Chimayo blankets and
pillow tops now being woven for
Southwest Arts & Crafts are pure wool
throughout.
Mr.. Cans now has Dol twenty
weavers making Chimayo blankets for
him, and the demand for them has
grown so strong, that ii is and has
been impossible to have the blankets
woven fast enough to satisfy his
wholesale customers, who include
practically every well known dealer
OF Indian art goods in the South
west. THE worst feature said Mr.,
Cans in a recent interview, SIS that
we cannot increase our output very
fast. because practically all the good
wcavers hereabouts are already work
ing for us. All we can do is to put
some of the less Skillful weavers
through a course of instruction from
our better weavers, and to get ap-
prentices."
mo, | don't believe that the art OF
weaving is going to die out around
here. Instead, it seems that the la
tive people are again taking it up,
for we have been able to pay them
very well for their good work. There
is on the contrary every indication
that blanket weaving will one day be
a most important and most desir-
able occupation in this part OF New
Mexico"
Those who are interested in wit
Messing the Improvement in Chimayo
blankets, may see one OF Mr.. Cans
weavers at work in the exhibit and
sales rooms of the Southwest Arts
& Crafts on the South Side of the
Plaza in Santa Fe. All summer this
weaving was an object OF greatest
interest to the tourists who passed
through Santa Fe, the space about
the loom often being crowded by
these spectators.
T.. .. ot,:,,aI tbat ~nal,t;cs aud ~rat;oi-