Master Weaver: Grace Nez 1937 - 2013

Grace stands next to her magnificent Teec Nos Pos weaving held by her daughter Helene

Master Weaver: Grace Nez

Master Weaver: Grace Nez
March 5th, 1937 – February 16, 2013
From: the Shiprock Area of the Navajo Nation
CLAN: “Where Water Meets Born for Tangle” Clan and “Bitter Water” Clan

Grace was the mother of some of the most beautiful ladies and Master Weavers we have ever known. One of the most talented Navajo weaving families, if not “the” most talented weaving family working today!

Grace was an award-winning weaver, winning Best of Show at Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in 2005 and Best of Show at Museum of Northern Arizona. She was featured in numerous museum exhibits at Desert Caballeros Western Museum Wickenburg. Arizona.

Grace was a one-of-a-kind lady, a Master Weaver, in so many ways. She could weave extremely large room sized rugs. She never used a sketch or diagram in her weaving process, it was all in her head, as they say.

Sometimes the rug was so large that half of it, or more than half of it had to be rolled up to weave the final length of the rug. She always got the design right and balanced. Being balanced is an especially important part of Navajo life and Grace personified that. Luckily, Grace taught her daughters Linda, Marian, Cecelia, Lena, Cindy, Berlinda, Malinda, Helene and granddaughter, Ave Tsosie, to weave as well. Spiderwoman smiled upon this family and blessed each of them with the gift of weaving.

Sometimes the rug is so large that half of it, or more than half of it had to be rolled up in order to weave the final length of the rug. She always got the design right and balanced. Being balanced is a very important part of Navajo life and Grace personified that. Luckily Grace taught her daughters Linda, Marian, Cecelia, Lena, Cindy, Berlinda, Malinda, Helene and granddaughter, Ave Tsosie, to weave as well. Spiderwoman smiled upon this family and blessed them each as Master Weavers.