Every year, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture presents its Living Treasure Award, an honor given to one Native American artist who has made a lasting impact in the world of Indigenous art and culture. Recipients of the award join a distinguished list of Native American artists, the likes of Virgil Ortiz, Tammy Garcia, Diego and Mateo Romero, Jody Naranjo, Kathleen Wall, Tony Abeyta, Dan Namingha and many more.
Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), Golden Dress. Courtesy the designer.
The 2024 Living Treasure Award went to haute couture designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), who creates avant-garde and eco-friendly fashion celebrating her Native roots in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As part of this award, MIAC is currently hosting Painted by Hand: The Textiles of Patricia Michaels, an exhibition that delves into the artist’s journey into capturing the landscape and culture of her home.
Michaels’ fabrics feature exquisitely hand-painted designs, each flowing garment entirely unique. “I bring my culture, travels, family, friends and patrons to my fabric table and dress form to create my textiles and silhouettes,” says the artist. She explains that it’s important to her to keep a painterly and artistic hand in all of her work, as it keeps her honest and reminds her of who she is as a Native artist.
A model poses with a flowing design by Patricia Michaels. Photograph by Bill Curry. Courtesy the designer.
Having participated in the popular high-fashion design show Project Runway in 2012, Michaels is well known in the fashion world and beyond. Notably, in June 2023 she dressed actress Tantoo Cardinal for the premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
In Painted by Hand, visitors can learn more about how Michaels creates her elaborate garments, which integrate a deep knowledge of the landscape. On view will be textiles, tools and garments that shed light on what goes into each painted fabric.
Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), Black and white dress twirling. Photograph by Mark Gunter. Courtesy the designer.
“When I hand-paint a fabric, it first comes from my inspiration in participating with ceremonies at my beautiful Taos Pueblo. My deep inner feelings that I have create the palette, shapes, designs and textures that I paint…I choose fashion and textile design as an artist because it gives me a platform of endless expression that always changes. For me, starting four decades ago, it was the ultimate challenge to be so contemporary in a world not ready to look at a modern version of a Native designer or a designer that just happened to be Native,” says Michaels.
Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), Jacket. Photograph by Jennifer Esparanza. Courtesy the designer.
“I bring in all of my life’s experiences to the table…I hope that these wonderful journeys bring an understanding of how Native life is rich with expression from the heart.”
Painted by Hand: The Textiles of Patricia Michaels will be on view through April 5, 2025.
Through April 5, 2025
Painted by Hand: The Textiles of Patricia Michaels
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
710 Camino Lejo off Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505
www.indianartsandculture.org
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