Steve's bold and colorful tapestries project a very dimensional, contemporary feel, while still retaining a very rich cultural southwest flavor, as can be seen in his peeling textile series, which depicts a Navajo blanket peeling directly off the wall.
Steve's work is part of public and private collections throughout the country and as far as Tokyo, Japan.
"I have a great love for the arts and a never-ending love for weaving. Weaving is like building with strands of wool, anything you want and in any direction or dimension, striving for that electrifying color or unique design to achieve visual impact. My goal is to take tapestry to it's furthest limits, do things that have never been done before in weaving. Create rugs that momentarily capture and hold the viewer within that space and time, much like a captive audience at a concert. I am very inspired by New Mexico and it's history of generations of weavers. Its like they say; 'everything you need you'll find in your own back yard.' I feel that I have found my creative force right here, and hope to continue creating in this environment for years to come."
Additional images by Steve Chavez are available on the Santa Fe Online ftp site:
