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SWAIA ARTIST Profile

Mae Mallahan-Tompson

Name
Mae Mallahan-Tompson
Tribe
Navajo Nation
Juried Classification(s)
Textiles
Website

SWAIA Booth History

SFIM25
SFIM24
PLZ 51
WIM25

2024 Award History

N/A
Portfolio Example & Artist Statement
Mae Mallahan-Tompson

I am a self-taught seamstress/designer. I've developed my knowledge and skills base over fifty years focusing on art of design and connecting with my Navajo heritage. My creations are a variety of traditional and contemporary Navajo fashion. Traditional velvet blouses are detailed with pintucks, pointed or round collars, cuffs, side vents and a front placket or V-neckline adorned with silver buttons and or parachute studs. To elevate the garment, a side zipper for easy access and hand beading embellishment. Tered skirts are embellish with ribbons/rick rack. A creative element of my skirt hemline stems from my mother's rug design, the sharp eye dazzling & accentuate with ribbons. Contemporary features one of my favorite eye-catching staircase the "Navajo basket". Its sharp detail edges are very inspiring accenting the neckline, hemline, collars, etc. I continue to infuse simple element of the Navajo way of life such as using the cardinal direction, or perhaps the constellations.