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Traditional Custom made Cedar Sculptures & Sterling Silver Jewelry

Harry Benally
1 (505) 879-3913
P.O. Box 1034
Sheep Springs, NM 87364

Harry Benally

Harry's Art is shown at Museums and Native American Art Shows all over the West

Featured in Native Peoples Magazine Nov/Dec 2007

Native peoples

In Harry Benally's Nativity sets, the infant Jesus lies snugly in a cradleboard and one of the Kings' gifts is a sack of Bluebird flour-so Mary can make frybread. "Everything I do has to do with the Diné (Navajo) way of life after the Long Walk," explains Benally, a Diné wood-carver from Sheep Springs, New Mexico. The 57-year-old artist remembers how people on the reservation dressed when he was growing up, with hair buns and velvet shirts. So that's how his Nativity figures look.

Benally's first Navajo-style carving, inspired by his mother, was called Diné Lady, which is also the name of his art business. Some of his six-inch- to five-foot-tall Nativity figures, with eyes reverently closed, are carved in cottonwood root and sanded and painted in fine detail by his wife, Isabelle. With other sets, Benally burns the designs into oiled, unpainted juniper wood. His work is on view at the Christmas Shop in Albuquerque and at dinelady.com.

Native Peoples Magazine
November/December 2007 page 39

Purchase at our eBay Store

Hand-Carved Navajo Nativity Set 9 Pieces

Harry Benally

Harry is famous for his “Navajo Lady” woodcarvings modeled after his mother. He sells woodcarvings and jewelry on a full-time basis in art shows all over the West. Harry also carves animal figures such as goats, horses, donkeys, lamas, and nativity scenes.

He also carves animal figures and “Navajo Lady” in alabaster rocks. Harry is a silversmith too in the old traditional style. He cut his own turquoise rocks and polishes them. Harry loves his work and spends many a late night wood shed. Harry Benally is noted for his fine woodcarvings and silversmith work.

Harry is a self-taught Navajo Artist born in Shiprock, New Mexico in 1951 on the Navajo reservation. He is a member of the Salt (Ashiihi) clan (mother's side) and born to the Ruins Clan (father’s side).Harry now lives in Sheep Springs NM 45 miles north of Gallup, 6 miles down a dirt road off highway 666 where he grew up.

Harry’s mother was a renowned rug weaver, and it was from her that he learned a keen sense of design. He also learned patience and the importance of paying attention to detail, as all are requirements in creating high quality woodcarvings and jewelry.

He has been carving juniper and cottonwood roots, aspen trees for about 18 years. Harry being a self taught artist has his own unique of carving Navajo Lady’s and Men, all one of a kind which collectors have bought all over the west.