STORY BEHIND HIS CUSTOM MADE BABY CRADLES. WHEN CHILDREN ARE COMING, YOU HAVE TO GET THE CRADLE READY. THAT’S THEIR FIRST HOME IN NAVAJO CULTURE. THEY DON’T MESS AROUND WITH BABY CRADLES. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ON DISPLAY AT THE RED EARTH FESTIVAL. I SPENT ABOUT 100 HOURS ON IT. THESE TRADITIONAL CRADLES DON’T GET BUILT IN A DAY. IT TOOK DARIUS. ABOUT TWO WEEKS START TO FINISH FOR JUST ONE OF THEM. IT’S MOSTLY IN THE CURING PROCESS, SO I’LL MAKE A PATTERN, PUT IT ASIDE, MAKE ANOTHER PATTERN. PUT THAT ASIDE, LET THEM CURE. AND THEN WHEN I’M READY, I PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER WHILE DARIUS TOLD ME HE ENJOYS THE WOODWORKING ASPECT OF THE CRADLES. THERE’S ANOTHER REASON HE PUTS SO MUCH TIME INTO THIS. THE ART IS KIND OF KIND OF DWINDLING OUT, SO I’M TRYING TO BRING IT BACK. BUT WITH MY WITH MY RENDITION, WHILE THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL AND FUN TO LOOK AT, HE HOPES THE CRADLES WILL MAKE A NEW FAMILY FEEL SPECIAL AND HELP KEEP NAVAJO CULTURE ALIVE. OUR LANGUAGE IS KIND OF DWINDLING. SO I’D LOVE TO BRING THAT BACK OR HELP BRING THAT BACK THROUGH. CRADLEBOARDS THROUGH ART, YOU CAN SEE MANY OTHER ARTISTS AT THE RED EARTH FESTIVAL AT THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM. IT RUN
Artists get ready to showcase their work during Red Earth Festival
The Red Earth Festival is happening Saturday and Sunday at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Updated: 4:59 PM CDT Mar 23, 2024
The Red Earth Festival is happening Saturday and Sunday at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. It showcases Native artists and their work from around the country. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppOne artist there creates custom baby cradles.“When children are coming, you have to get the cradle ready, that’s their first home,” said Darius Charley, who is a Navajo artist. The traditional cradles don’t get built in a day. It takes Charley about two weeks from start to finish for just one of them. “It’s mostly in the curing process, so I’ll make a pattern, put it aside, make another one, let it cure, and when I’m ready, I’ll put them all together,” Charley said. Charley says the woodworking is the aspect he enjoys the most, but there’s another reason he puts so much time into the craft. “The art is kind of dwindling out, so I’m trying to bring it back with my rendition,” Charley said. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.While they are beautiful and fun to look at, he hopes the cradles will make a new family feel special and help keep Navajo culture alive. “Our language is kind of dwindling, so I’d love to bring that back, or help bring it back through cradle boards and art,” Charley said. You can see him and many other artists at the Red Earth Festival at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. It runs until March 24. Top Headlines Severe storms with tornadoes possible Sunday across Oklahoma Women’s NCAA Tournament Day 1 recap OKC steakhouse celebrating 60th anniversary with feast for 2 OKC Police: Teen nearly kidnapped at Myriad Botanical Gardens Piedmont child escapes to safety and report web of abuse at home
The Red Earth Festival is happening Saturday and Sunday at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
It showcases Native artists and their work from around the country.
One artist there creates custom baby cradles.
“When children are coming, you have to get the cradle ready, that’s their first home,” said Darius Charley, who is a Navajo artist.
The traditional cradles don’t get built in a day.
It takes Charley about two weeks from start to finish for just one of them.
“It’s mostly in the curing process, so I’ll make a pattern, put it aside, make another one, let it cure, and when I’m ready, I’ll put them all together,” Charley said.
Charley says the woodworking is the aspect he enjoys the most, but there’s another reason he puts so much time into the craft.
“The art is kind of dwindling out, so I’m trying to bring it back with my rendition,” Charley said.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
While they are beautiful and fun to look at, he hopes the cradles will make a new family feel special and help keep Navajo culture alive.
“Our language is kind of dwindling, so I’d love to bring that back, or help bring it back through cradle boards and art,” Charley said.
You can see him and many other artists at the Red Earth Festival at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
It runs until March 24.
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