This inaugural exhibition celebrates the opening of a new permanent gallery and showcases a remarkable gift of Native American baskets and Pueblo pottery to the Nevada Museum of Art. The baskets are a gift from Larry Dalrymple and Steve Moreno, who have dedicated the past forty-five years to acquiring baskets, personal histories, and photographs from weavers of the Great Basin, Northern California, and the American Southwest. The pottery comes from Brenda and the late John Blom, who began their collection in the early 1990s, sourcing pieces directly from potters, galleries, and Pueblo villages in the Southwest.
To commemorate this special occasion, the exhibition also features fifteen newly commissioned Native American baskets from weavers in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada, including Leah Brady (Western Shoshone), Loretta Burden (Northern Paiute), Sue Coleman (Washoe), Norma Darrough (Western Shoshone), Gracie Dick (Northern Paiute), Julia Parker (Kashia Pomo | Coast Miwok), Melanie Smokey (Western Sho-shone | Washoe), Sandra Eagle (Northern Paiute), Rebecca Eagle (Northern Paiute), Nila Northsun (Shoshone | Chippewa), and Jacqueline Rickard (Walker Lake Paiute).
Another highlight of the gallery is a major mural by Jack Malotte (Newe/Western Shoshone | Wá∙šiw/Washoe) in collaboration with Lena Tseabbe Wright (Northern Paiute |Yurok).
Contemporary artworks inspired by basketry and pottery traditions are interspersed throughout the gallery.
The practice of making baskets and pottery is a form of contemporary expression, rooted in knowledge passed down through oral traditions. Many of these practices were diminished over generations due to assimilation policies enacted by the U.S. government in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, contemporary weavers and potters carry on the traditions of their ancestors, creating works from natural materials—plants and clay—that embody a profound relationship with the environment. These cultural treasures reflect a deep respect for the plants, animals, natural resources, and climate of their origins.
The Nevada Museum of Art is committed to exploring the interconnectedness of art, people, and environments. Central to this exploration is a profound respect for the knowledge and heritage of the Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, Sierra Nevada, and the Greater West.
This exhibition was co-curated by Melissa Melero-Moose (Numu/Northern Paiute) and Ann M. Wolfe, the Museum’s Andrea and John C. Deane Family Chief Curator and Associate Director.
Working in collaboration with the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and publisher Rizzoli Electa, the Nevada Museum of Art will publish a standalone book titled The Art of Native American Washoe Basketry. The book is a reprint of a 125-page chapter dedicated to Washoe basketry and culture first published in 2015.
On April 25-26, 2025, the Nevada Museum of Art will partner with the Great Basin Native Basketweavers to organize and present a two-day basket gathering. Day one will be specifically for Native weavers to gather for workshops and exchange knowledge and stories. Day two is open to the public and will feature presentations, demonstrations, performances, and a vendor fair.
Working in collaboration with Native American consultants, the museum will develop an Indigenous Garden on its new third-floor rooftop dedicated to sharing sharing traditional knowledge about natural resources and basketweaving and fostering a deeper connection with the environment.
