James Compton Gallery Blog

Video Presentation of a Navajo Saddle Blanket

This Navajo Saddle blanket measures 52″ x 35.5″, natural cream white, synthetic dyed red and natural carded brown/grey handspun wool with some green and brown 4 ply germantown yarns. There is some fading to the colors, some dye run, a few small repairs and...

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THE Navajo Blanket

I discovered an object so beautiful, so intriguing, that it changed my life. It’s an early Navajo blanket dating to the first half of the 19th century. I saw the blue first. It’s an Yves Klein sort of blue, so pure and saturated I...

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Happy New Year and thank you for your Support

Happy New Year to you all!  Thank you for your support in this first year of my Gallery.  Here’s a video of my end of year statement.    

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Visit to see the Keam Pottery Collection at the Peabody Museum

Harvard Peabody Museum In early November I was in Boston for the Skinner Auction and made a point to visit the Peabody Museum at Harvard in Cambridge.  I was excited to visit the main floor exhibit of historic Native American Indian art – they...

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A Rare Taos/Picuris Kiva Bowl

This bowl, which has shell tempered clay and measures 4″ tall and 9″ diameter, is considered to be a rare example of a piece of complete pottery from the Scott County Pueblo, El Cuartelejo, in Western Kansas.  While there are no papers documenting this...

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An Early Pueblo Drum

It is very rare to come across a Pueblo drum as early as this one. It came to me recently directly from a Pueblo person who had had it some time before getting it from another Pueblo person.  While dating these drums is not...

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I’m Participating in the JHFAF

I will have a booth at the Jackson Hole Fine Art Fair opening this Sept. 12 and going through Sept 15.  While this show will be mostly contemporary and Western art, I will be a booth dedicated to Navajo, Pueblo and Rio Grande textiles...

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Transformational Object: A Mid 19th C. Laguna / Acomita Water Jar

Transformational Object When I find an object that grabs me to my core, I know that a new path in my life is going to open up.  I can feel the energy pulling me into an unknown space. I’ve been doing this collecting long...

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The Great Wall

Well, maybe not great, but for my 15 ft by 15 ft gallery, it’s about as great as I can get. The totem borders the left side and topped by a Hopi tableta, centered by the classic Navajo child’s size blanket and then framed...

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Pueblo Buffalo Headdress

This buffalo headdress measures 32″ x 20″ x 10″ as shown on its stand. This headdress has wonderful age to it and is in prime condition with no restoration.  Considering its wear, the age is assumed to be the last quarter of the 19th...

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