Master weaver Elsie has been weaving for over 50 years. We are so blessed to have her weaving for us exclusively. Since 2013 she has woven over 25 rugs - and another is currently on the loom. The rate which she weaves exquisite rugs is nothing short of incredible.
Additionally she is extremely versatile. She weaves many different patterns and styles including Burntwater, Ganado, Teec Nos Pos, Crystal, Sand Paintings, Bistie, Pictorials and Storm.
She has won the following awards at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, 3 Best of Category; 6- 1st Place; 2 Artist Awards and many smaller awards.
Her grand daughter Natalie and grandson Dylan have recently begun weaving. No doubt they will also become Master weavers under the wing of their grandmother.
Below is her weaver profile which is posted on our website:
Born: August 25, 1951
CLAN: “Big Water Clan” for “Tangle People Clan” My Grandpa Clan is “Edgewater Clan, and my Naali Clan is “Bitterwater Clan)
Elsie, “I had no training for weaving, it was given to me from above. I also learn from my mom and grandma. When I was 14, I would watch my mom weave and then help her finish the rug. My mom and grandmom helped me learn to weave.”
Elsie has famous relatives that also weave; Cara Yazzie, Helen Bia, Irene and Lucy Begay.
Elsie, “My favorite designs are Burntwater, Wide Ruin, Ganado Red and Teec Nos Pos. Weaving rugs is a Navajo tradition and it is passed down by my family, and I Love to weave. It is my only income and it helps me a lot. I enjoy doing my work. It takes lots of time, not only to weave but all of the math and counting. I just love what I do, always challenging myself with new patterns and designs. I really like taking my time to figure out what comes next in my weaving and then to see the outcome of the design. Taking my time to figure out what comes next and the outcome of the design is exciting. “
“I would like to say that I love to do rug weaving. I’m glad I learned to weave. It takes time to weave. People know me as a rug weaver. I’m proud of myself.”
“I’m glad I’m still weaving and I thank everyone that helped me. Yup. I watch my Grandma, Mom weave, I got it from them…. We got our wool from the sheeps. We use to shave it off from the sheep, carded and dye it, spindled it and make a loom and start to weave, that’s all of weaving. Now I don’t have sheep anymore, anyway I love to weave, do my best for my buyer Steve Getzwiller.
Thank You,
Elsie Bia
"p.s. I even raise my kids with my rug weaving".
Natalie Tso weaving her first rug - Granddaughter of Elsie Bia
Dylan Tso displaying his first rug - Grandson of Elsie Bia
I love the elaborate design, the double border and colors. Also the size, specifically the length is most unusual. A weaving of this complexity is extremely rare. So rare that this Bistie "runner" is the only one Steve has ever seen!
This was woven with hand carded, hand spun native wool, likely Churro. Circa 1940's. Extremely well woven - no doubt a master weaver. Really quite fantastic.
This weaving is part of the Timeless Treasures of Two Grey Hills exhibit.
Bistie is one - if not the most difficult style of weaving. Today fewer and fewer weavers weave Bistie. Of all our weavers only a few will take on the challenge of weaving a Bistie.
Give us a call 520-455-5020 or email steve@navajorung.com for more info and pricing on this weaving. Or better yet visit beautiful Sonoita and make an appointment at the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery to see this weaving in person. The photos just do not do it justice.
Don't miss the rest of our Bistie collection!
Enjoy!
Beth
Steve Getzwiller is a 7th generation rancher who grew up just east of Tucson, Arizona. As a child, he spent a lot of time at the Amerind Foundation in Dragoon AZ, a museum and research center for Native American arts and culture. Inspired by the director of the foundation, Archaeologist Charles C. Di Peso, Getzwiller went on to study anthropology at the University of Arizona, and became a potter and turquoise trader. But his real passion was Navajo Rugs, and as soon as he could afford to, he became collecting them and wholesaling rugs to top galleries around the U.S. to be able to afford more expensive ones for himself.
In 1995, Getzwiller launched an online website, and in 2000, he opened his own physical gallery, The Nizhoni Ranch Gallery, in Sonoita, AZ. Today, he does about $1 Million of business a year, half through the website and half through his physical store. Getzwiller's Navajo rugs are sold around the world to collectors, business people and rock stars.
Steve Getzwiller, Owner of Nizhoni Ranch Gallery
The Personal Touch
Navajo weavers today are carrying on a 300-year-old tradition of weaving blankets and rugs. Their unique upright loom uses a traditional weaving technique that cannot be mechanized. The loom is warped with one continuous wool thread and the weft is woven through it, one thread at a time. “It is a very time consuming and meticulous process,” Getzwiller explains, “Small rugs can take a full week to weave, while larger Navajo rugs can take years to complete.”
Navajo weaver Cecelia Nez will work on a rug for years.
By their intrinsic nature, these rugs cannot be commoditized. Their weaving is personal and the resulting rugs are works of custom art. Getzwiller emphasizes these qualities in every aspect of his business and they inform his marketing. Each rug comes with a weaver’s profile and background information on the traditional process used.
In the store, Getzwiller works to highlight various artists. On March 11, for example, the gallery will host Elsi Bia and her 11-year-old grand-daughter at The Timeless Treasures of Two Grey Hills opening. They will be demonstrating Navajo weaving at an upright loom. Another granddaughter, Natalie Tso, will be weaving her first rug. Getzwiller notes: “We try to keep these demos fresh and exciting, and not only present historic material, but also present and preserve the art of Navajo weaving today.”
As part of his commitment to the personal, he also emphasizes customer service. He focuses 100% on customer service, treating every sale as a personal relationship to be nurtured. “Even all our sales online have the personal touch, as each sale is completed with a conversation with the client and subsequent follow-up,” he explains.
We don’t outsource any of our customer service. We try to answer an inquiry within minutes if possible — and follow up with information immediately. Customer service is our top priority. All sales are totally guaranteed of course, as satisfaction upon receipt of a piece of unique art like these rugs is crucial. The client must feel at ease when making a large purchase from pictures. We have a small staff, so the client experiences a personal touch and often has a favorite person in the gallery that they work with on a first name basis.
It may seem strange that a business so rooted in history and pre-industrial technology would accept bitcoin, but for Getzwiller it makes complete sense. His son was an early adopter, buying Bitcoin back in 2011, and he sees the crypto-currency as a natural next step for online sales.
“Although retail adoption has been lethargic, Bitcoin's rates of adoption and price have been anything but that in the past seven years. We see the future impact of BTC as a relied upon and trusted payment method. More art galleries around the globe are starting to accept the digital currency. We want to stay in step with those galleries and businesses on the cutting edge. We feel the energy of the Bitcoin phenomenon even in our remote ranching community. As I like to say, the world really is getting smaller!”
When asked if the transition to Bitcoin was difficult, he replied, “NavajoRug.com was one of the first online rug galleries anywhere. The complexity of using crypto currencies for most of us involves the same learning curve we experienced when we first embrace the Internet and email as outreach tools. We are proud to be one of the first such galleries to accept Bitcoin. Early adoption may prove to be as ground-breaking as the second iteration of the Internet.”
Kate Harrison , CONTRIBUTORI write about green businesses and how to help startups succeed. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
@kate_l_harrison and find my marketing consulting business online at katelharrison.com. For the green wedding professional certification class, visit greenweddingprofessionals.com.
March 7, 2018
Want an authentic taste of the wild west? Wickenburg is the real deal. The town has successfully merged the past with the present in a way that awakens the cowboy in everyone!
See One Trader's Legacy: Steve Getzwiller Collects the West at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg Arizona.
Mark your calendars for March 15 and 16!
WESTERN VIEWPOINT:
STEVE GETZWILLER ON "ONE TRADER'S LEGACY"
Trader and collector Steve Getzwiller speaks about One Trader's Legacy: Steve Getzwiller Collects the West. Free for Members or with paid admission, Cultural Crossroads Learning Center.
AMERICAN INDIAN ARTIFACTS IDENTIFICATION WITH STEVE GETZWILLERBring your Native American artifacts for trader and collector Steve Getzwiller to identify. Getzwiller is known for his work with the weavers of the Navajo Nation and owns and operates Nizhoni Ranch Gallery is Sonoita, AZ. Please do not bring weapons. $20 first item, $10 additional items, 5 item maximum | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center.
CIRCLES EXCLUSIVE EVENT: "HOW TO COLLECT" WITH STEVE GETZWILLERCircles Donors, join us for a conversation with trader and collector Steve Getzwiller of the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery on One Trader's Legacy: Steve Getzwiller Collects the West. Open to Circles Donors, free, Main Museum.
Take a day trip or spend a week, because there’s no better place to truly experience the historic wonder of the West.
Steve Getzwiller with Master Navajo Weaver Grace Nez and her extraordinary Two Grey Hills masterpiece.
OPEN HOUSE : SUNDAY MARCH 11, 2011
Featuring Master Weaver Elsie Bia and her grandchildren Natalie and Dylan demonstrating on their looms. Natalie and Dylan are working on their first Navajo Rugs and we will be auctioning them off, as a way of encouraging them to continue to learn to weave. If you can't make the opening and want to bid on their rugs just email us and we will put you down on the list.
If you are considering purchasing one of our Two Grey Hills from the Show Catalog click here.
We are so pleased with the response to our Timeless Treasures of Two Grey Hills Show. All are invited to visit our gallery to experience this wonderful and rare exhibit along with our vast collection of Navajo Textiles, Native American Baskets, Pottery, and North American Indian hand-made treasures.
Questions? call 520-455-5020 or email info@navajorug.com
Our German friends were offered a rare opportunity to visit the Navajo Nation where they met Master Navajo Weaver Julia Upshaw, Master Navajo Weaver Kathy Marianito and Master Navajo Weaver Jalucie Marianito.
The Marianito Family is known best for their Chief Blankets. To see more of their incredible weavings click here...
Our friends made it just in time to wear these chief blankets before they left the Navajo Nation for the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery. This photo was taken in Buffalo Springs New Mexico.
Still Available! Churro Chief Blanket # 1389, Lucie Marianito
Questions? Please contact us at nizhoniranch@gmail.com or 520-455-5020.
We enjoyed re-reading this article written and published in 2004. Rarely do things stay the same - we are proud to be an exception!
Questions? call 520-455-5020 or email info@navajorug.com
Two Grey Hills Navajo Weaving by Rona Begay
Give a bespoke gift seeped in tradition with this handcrafted Native American weaving. Designed by a Navajo artist from the Two Grey Hills region using an upright loom with all-natural colored wool in warm gray and deep browns...
*Note: this weaving has been sold. To view available Two Grey Hills rugs click here.
Questions? call 520-455-5020 or email info@navajorug.com
In addition to being one of the leading Navajo and Native American art collectors, Steve Getzwiller knows how to spin a tale so that his audience yearns for more. That's the best kind of story teller.
Steve spoke to the crowds at the opening sessions of the One Trader's Legacy exhibition at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wicksburg. Read the whole story here.
Read about the museum exhibition here.
WESTERN VIEWPOINT: STEVE GETZWILLER ON "ONE TRADER'S LEGACY"
Trader and collector Steve Getzwiller speaks about One Trader's Legacy: Steve Getzwiller Collects the West. Free for Members or with paid admission, Cultural Crossroads Learning Center.
AMERICAN INDIAN ARTIFACTS IDENTIFICATION WITH STEVE GETZWILLERBring your Native American artifacts for trader and collector Steve Getzwiller to identify. Getzwiller is known for his work with the weavers of the Navajo Nation and owns and operates Nizhoni Ranch Gallery is Sonoita, AZ. Please do not bring weapons. $20 first item, $10 additional items, 5 item maximum | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center.
CIRCLES EXCLUSIVE EVENT: "HOW TO COLLECT" WITH STEVE GETZWILLERCircles Donors, join us for a conversation with trader and collector Steve Getzwiller of the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery on One Trader's Legacy: Steve Getzwiller Collects the West. Open to Circles Donors, free, Main Museum.
