Take home some Taos color
MINNA WHITE
As the artist behind LANA DURA LLC, I wet-felt wool using only fiber from Navajo-Churro sheep, a rugged, historic breed which voyaged with the early Spanish explorers to the Southwest in the 1500s. The rugged Churras walked with the explorers. As the first domesticated fiber animals they were a unique asset for native peoples, an enthralling fiber ‘on the hoof’ as well as a protein source.
These heritage sheep have fabulous wool, yielding a diverse, sophisticated contemporary color palette mirroring the colors of the Southwest: white, taupe, hues of brown, lavender-gray and natural black. From this magical fiber I produce one-of-a-kind functional art: pot holders, placemats and coasters, floor rugs and wall art.
My early working years, based in New England, I produced documentary films initially for PBS for over twenty years (NOVA, ODYSSEY, THE RING OF TRUTH and other series) as well as IMAX/OMNIMAX films. During these years I earned two graduate degrees and eventually worked as the Policy Analysts for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. In Vermont I ran a fiber-washing business then quenching a life-long yearning, entered the U.S. Peace Corps.
After my Peace Corps years in the South Pacific I moved to Taos, NM where, as “Lana Dura,” I paint with wool producing felt.
The sheep themselves and the incredible landscapes of northern New Mexico support my creativity. I am inspired by the wool artistry of earlier craftspeople and the historic value of wool.
“Lana” is a Spanish word meaning “wool” and “dura” is a reminder of the durability of wool products.
LANA DURA’s goal throughout is GIVING SHEEP A JOB!
MINNA WHITE