Rowena Kagenveama
In describing the colors she uses in her baskets, Rowena Kagenveama said that "We make the Coil Basket from Straw and Yucca that we pick from areas around Hopi. Many of the colors are from the Yucca Plant, Yellow comes from Yucca being harvested in winter, the white is summer, and the Green can be picked any time of the year. Also, we will use Sunflower for the Black and Hopi Tea (Hohocy) for the Red."
Rowena’s baskets are superb. Her daughter that she taught is also an award winning Basket maker. She traveled to Osaka, Japan to teach her craft, & is featured in the National Museum of Ethnology.
The Kagenveama family is well known in the Basket Collecting Circles, too- Rowena, Jewel, Regina, Tressa & Gladys just to name from the Kagenveama famiy. They are regarded as some of the best when it comes to Basket making. The Kagenveama family is literally filled with artistic & creative talent, with Bennett & Bryan Kagenveama being accomplished Jewelry Artists. Their highly skilled art has been passed down from generation to generation.
There are so few artists still making Baskets these days, that many say they will soon become the most valuable of all Native American collectibles.