Other Sand Art

Sand Art, also known as dry painting, is a type of art form practised by the Navajo and Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest and other Plains. An innovative new art form that will definitely intrigue future artists. Making sand art is fun and requires creativity too. However, it is largely prized by Indians for religious rather than aesthetic reasons. Its primary purpose is to aid in healing ceremonies. Sand paintings are stylised, symbolic images created by drizzling small amounts of crushed, coloured sandstone, charcoal, pollen, or other dry materials in white, blue, yellow, black, and red colours over a clean, polished sand backdrop. There are over 600 such drawings known, which include varied representations of deities, animals, lightning, rainbows, flora, and other symbols stated in the chants that precede various rites. In healing, the curer has the last say on which painting to use.