Patricia Michael's Hand-painted PM Waterlily Logo on silk velvet with Hand Forged Metal Petal Frame by World Renowned Blacksmith Frank Turley & Hand Carved Salt Cedar Handle by James Duran of Taos Pueblo who was inspired to use salt cedar to give a positive use to this invasive and damaging species.

For more information on the salt cedar click the link.  

In addition to this special piece of art, the winning bidder will be able to tour Patricia Michaels studio and spend time with this award winning Taos Pueblo native and fashion designer. She will also give a 20% discount on any order you make on your visit. Patricia Michaels was recently a finalist on “Project Runway” (season 11) and continues to wow the fashion world with her unique point of view and inovative and elegant designs.

Michaels’ career spans almost 30 years, starting with the Institute of American Indian Arts where she studied graphic design, jewelry and traditional techniques; later working in Chicago at the Field Museum and at an art gallery; and living in Milan, Italy where she apprenticed with a tailor. Michaels later brought her son and daughter with her to New York where she worked in the city’s garment district. After two years there, Michaels developed her own collection, becoming the first Native American to feature a label at the prestigious New York Fashion Week. ÂÂÂÂÂÂA?Now, based back home in Taos, Michaels exhibits her work in a number of museums and at fashion weeks in New York and Santa Fe.

In the last few years, her innovative designs have garnered top honors at the Santa Fe Indian Market. Michaels was also featured prominently in the Town of Taos’ 2012 marketing theme which focused on the “Remarkable Women of Taos.” Her biography can be found at http://taos.org/women/profiles-businesswomen. And for even further information cheach out her website. 

“My inspiration comes from the beauty of nature beauty of Taos and on my heritage at Taos Pueblo. For example, I created a pattern on silk charmeuse simply by looking at how rain falls on a window and interpreting its texture and form in my design,” Michaels said. “When the clouds are rolling in and holding rain – there’s a ‘female’ rain which has hues of lavender that seems soft, and there is a ‘male’ rain which consists of dark thunderclouds that are a combination of black and white. That’s what I love about being a Native American designer is that my designs are are abstract, not literal, because they are interpretations of nature.”

“Since I was young, I was told that when we leave our village, we represent our people so when we return home we should make them proud. I was taught by the women in my family to walk in grace and that the women from Taos Pueblo are strong but gentle – we have nothing to prove, just that we take care of our family, ourselves, and our culture,” Michaels said.

Frank Turley came to blacksmithing through the back door of farriery. He began shoeing in the early 1960's under the tutelage of Al Kremen, in Rolling Hills, California. He soon settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as he began work, he found that he was beginning to take occasional orders for fireplace tools, screens, and branding irons. Turley eventually left the horses behind as he took on more blacksmithing jobs, especially those in architectural hardware, ornamental work, and in the forging of tools. He studied and worked part time for a while with master smith, Victor Vera. Turley also worked part time as a Museum of New Mexico conservator, where he was able to study early Southwestern Hispanic ironwork. This interest gave rise to a co-authored book with Marc Simmons, "Southwestern Colonial Ironwork" first published in 1980 and reprinted in 2007.

Along with this wonderful piece of fashion art, this item includes two signed posters of models walking the runway on Project Runway season 11 wearing the clothes designed by Michaels.