Clara Nezbah Sherman (February 18, 1914 – July 31, 2010) was a

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest fe ...

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

particularly known for her

Navajo rug Navajo rugs and blankets ( nv, ) are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years. Commercial production of han ...

s. Born Nezbah Gould, her mother was of the clan, and her father was of the . She was the last surviving member of ten siblings including an adopted sister. Sherman and her siblings learned to weave as children from her family, who specialized in the craft. Clara had several children with her husband, John Sherman. Her daughters and granddaughters also learned to weave. She played the

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica in ...

, and could "keep a melody and bass line going at the same time." In 2006, she was awarded the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts by the governor of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

in association with the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

. She is one of the artists whose work is available at the historic Toadlena Trading Post on New Mexico Arts' Fiber Arts Trail.

References

External links

Video of Clara Sherman carding and spinning wool
YouTube
Woven rug portrait of Clara playing her harmonica
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Clara Native American textile artists Navajo artists American weavers American harmonica players 1914 births 2010 deaths People from San Juan County, New Mexico 20th-century American women artists Native American women artists Women textile artists 20th-century Native Americans 21st-century Native Americans 20th-century Native American women 21st-century Native American women