Navajo Rugs and Sandpaintings - Foutz Trading Company

Foutz Trading Company is a Native American Navajo arts and crafts store located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Shiprock, NM.  All of our arts and crafts are authentically hand made.  This is important as many of our government customers insist that we guarantee the maker-artist to be Native American.  With almost every product that we sell, a card containing a brief description of the artist along with a picture of the artist is included.
We are direct buyers of our Native American arts and crafts.  The Native artists come to us at our store on the Navajo reservation in Shiprock, NM, to sell their many various types of art and hand crafts.  We buy direct without a middleman so we can offer our items at a price that has made us one of the nations leading suppliers of authentic Native American Indian arts and crafts.

Navajo Rugs Navajo Sand Paintingand weaving was learned from the early Spanish settlers living in what is now New Mexico. Our Navajo rugs are all hand made using all wool yarns, either hand spun or commercially produced. The Foutz family has been on the Navajo Indian reservation for over 100 years selling all types of Navajo rugs. We offer for sale, wholesale and retail, almost all types of traditional patterned Navajo rugs. Most of these patterned rugs were named for the trading post from which region they originated. Two Grey Hill, Teec Nos Pos, Burntwater, Ganado, Crystal, Wide Ruin and Pine Springs are all trading posts. We also have many different pictorial rugs, which are woven pictures of the Navajo world as seen through their eyes. The Germantown and Chief Navajo weavings that we have for sale are copies or based on the patterns and colors used around the turn of the century. Yei, Yeibechei, and Sand painting rugs feature spirit figures from Navajo mythology woven into the rug as part of the pattern. As is our practice, all of the Navajo rugs that we sell come with the name of the weaver as well as their photograph holding the rug they made.

Navajo Sand Paintings are based on the ceremonial patterns drawn in the sand by Navajo medicine men while performing a healing ceremony. The art and craft that has developed from those ceremonies are now transferred into thin sheets of hardboard or particle board and sold as a snap shot of the Navajo spiritual way of life. The sand paintings that we offer for sale, both wholesale and retail, are made from natural or color enhanced sand. A base coat of sand is applied to the board and allowed to dry. A pattern is then scratched on top of the base coat. Sand is then sprinkled on top of the glue and allowed to dry. The excess is shaken off and the next layer of the desired pattern is scratched on top of the existing pattern. This building up of layers is repeated until the finished sand painting pattern is complete. Whether you are buying wholesale or just for yourself, as with all of our Navajo arts and crafts, the name of the artist as well as their photograph comes with each sandpainting.

    Sand Painting Boxes are made in our shop, from solid Oak and come in many different sizes and sand painting designs. Unmatted or matted and framed in glass, our Navajo  sandpainting boxes are for sale either wholesale or retail.

    Sand Painting Clocks are made in our shop on the reservation using authentic Navajo Sandpaintings and solid oak frames.

Native American Artifacts are reproductions of Native American and Navajo Indian ceremonial  paraphernalia, hunting tools and weapons.  This includes Dream Catchers, Medicine Wheels, spears, knives, bows, and arrows. Also includes smoking pipes, sometimes called peace pipes, in many different styles. All of our authentic, hand made Artifacts and reproductions are constructed using natural materials, glass beads, stone arrow heads, antiqued leather, horse hair, and bone. All of our Native Americian and Navajo Indian Artifacts and reproductions come with a tag with the name and photo of the maker.  These items are for sale both wholesale and retail.

Navajo Pottery is traditionally hand coiled. After finishing and firing, it is covered in pine pitch. Originally Navajo pottery was not fired hot enough as to make it a water tight ceramic, hence the pine pitch coating to make it water proof. The beauty of this Navajo pottery is in the simplicity of designs and sheen obtained after it has been hand polished. The Navajo pottery that we have for sale, wholesale or retail, is supplied with a tag featuring the artist name and a photo of that person.

      Navajo Etched and Horse Hair Pottery is made from commercal clay that is poured into a mould.  Using a knife, a pattern is hand etched, into the casting. It is the painted and or sprinkled with horse hair, then fired in an electric kilm.  This is all done by hand and each item is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Each comes with a tag with the name and photo of the maker.  These items are for sale both wholesale and retail

Native American Folk Art that we have for sale are carved wooden visions of how the Navajo see themselves and the world around them. A photo of the maker as well as a short bio, can be supplied with each piece of Native American bead work. Wholesale pricing is avalible for volume orders.

Native American Ornaments are for any decorative or festive occasion. We have for sale animals, and Kachina heads that are carved from wood and then painted. The balls are made of glass or ceramic. The glass balls are coated with sand and then traditional Navajo ceremonial designs are applied. The ceramic balls are painted, then designs are carved into it, and finally fired. We have wholesale pricing for volume orders.

Native American Beadwork we have for sale is made by Navajo Indians on the Navajo Indian reservation. We feature a large selection of Navajo hand beaded ear rings, bracelets, barrettes, key rings, pins, and other beaded craft items. Almost all of our Navajo hand made beadwork we sell is made with small #14 or #15 glass beads. A card with a photo of the maker comes with each piece of Native American bead work. Wholesale pricing is available for volume orders.

Navajo Dye and Medicine Charts

Navajo Kachina Dolls are traditionally made of cottonwood root. Kachina Dolls are objects which represent the Katsina or the spirits that inhabit the world along with the Hopi people. Kachinas can be any object , inanimate or not, in the natural world. Because of their power, Kachinas or Katsina must be given respect in order to be assured that no bad will come to the people and that the Kachinas will use their power to help in time of sickness or to increase the peoples prosperity.
During certain religious ceremonies, dancers sometime dress as Kachinas and dolls of the Kachina are sometimes given as gifts to children and guests.
The Kachina dolls that we have for sale are mostly Navajo Indian made. They are interpretations of Hopi dolls and come in many different styles and sizes. Navajo Dolls are unique from Hopi Kachina dolls and are many times equal in artistic quality and a bit more affordable.

Navajo Cloth Dolls we have for sale are all hand made from cotton and velveteen cloth material. They are replicas of the Native American Navajo dolls made during the turn of the century for young Indian girls. All are hand sewn and hand decorated. A photo of the maker as well as a short bio, can be supplied with each Navajo doll. Wholesale pricing is avalible for volume orders.

Native American and Navajo Indian Fine Art featuring many Navajo and other Native American Indian artists.  The styles range from the Traditional Native American themes to the contemporary in oil, acrylic, and pencil.

Native American Drums are Cochiti Indian made. The material used is either Aspen or Cottonwood; the log or limb is hollowed out and covered and stiched with wet rawhide leather. A handmade beater comes with each drum. Many of the drums have traditional designs painted on them using acrylic oils or colored sand.

Stone Sculpture by local Native American Indian sculptors using mainly alabaster, which comes in many different colors and is quarried here in the four corners region. We have sculptures in many different sizes and price ranges.  All are hand made and come with a tag with the artists photo and name.

Native American Baskets are similar in construction and design to Ute Baskets. Most of our Baskets are traditional 3 ring Navajo Wedding Baskets, but others have intricate patterns and colors.