Margaret Wood (fashion designer) facts for kids

Margaret Wood was born in 1950. She is a talented artist from the Navajo and Seminole tribes. She creates amazing fiber art, designs fashion, and makes beautiful quilts. Margaret started her career as a teacher and librarian. But she soon switched to art to express her creativity.

She wrote an important book called Native American Fashion: Modern Adaptations of Traditional Designs. For many years, this was the only book about how traditional Native clothing was used in modern designs. Since 1990, Margaret has mostly focused on making quilts. Her quilts have been shown in many famous museums across the United States. These include the American Craft Museum and the Heard Museum.

Early Life and Education

Margaret Wood was born in 1950 in Parker, Arizona. Her mother was Navajo and her father was Oklahoma Seminole. Margaret's mother grew up on the Navajo Nation. She became a teacher. Her father was a carpenter from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

Margaret learned to sew from her mother when she was about nine years old. After high school, she attended Arizona State University. She had a full scholarship from the Navajo Nation. In 1971, she earned a bachelor's degree in education. Later, in 1973, she earned a master's degree in Library Science from the University of Denver.

Margaret Wood's Artistic Journey

Margaret Wood started her career as a teacher. After a year, she went back to school. She earned her master's degree in library science in 1973. That same year, she became a librarian. She worked at the Navajo Community College. She also worked at the Phoenix Public Library. During this time, she began writing her book.

Her book, Native American Fashion, shared information about traditional Native clothing. It showed how these styles could be updated for modern fashion. The book included photos of old designs. It also had drawings of new ideas. It explored how modern fashion could celebrate Native pride.

In 1978, after five years as a librarian, Margaret decided to change paths. She wanted to focus on fiber arts. She also wanted to find a publisher for her book. When her son was born in 1979, she stayed home and started sewing. Her book was finally published in 1981. For over 40 years, it was the only book focused on modern Native American fashion.

That same year, she started her own company. It was called Native American Fashions, Inc. For the next ten years, she focused on fashion design. She participated in many fashion shows. Her unique designs were highlighted in these shows.

In 1984, Margaret saw some quilts at an art show. She felt inspired to try making one herself. She entered her first quilt in a show in 1985. It even earned an honorable mention! She then began to study quiltmaking. She learned about different fabrics and techniques. These included applique, mola, and trapunto. Until 1990, she saw herself as a fashion designer who also quilted. But that year, she decided to focus mainly on quilting. It gave her more freedom to be creative.

Margaret often creates her art in a series. Her first designs used geometric patterns. These patterns came from traditional basketry, beadwork, and Navajo weaving. Later, she began to tell more personal stories. Some quilts showed the challenges Native Americans faced. These were about living in two different cultures. She also made quilts about her family members. For example, she designed quilts for her father and mother. These quilts featured maze designs. They also used symbols to represent important moments in their lives. Some of her groups of work, like The Bag Series, are more like fabric sculptures. This series focused on different types of containers. These containers were used by Native Americans.

Margaret Wood's artwork has been shown in many museums. She has been invited to exhibitions like Expressions of Spirit at the Wheelwright Museum. Her work was also featured in Changing Hands: Art without Reservation at the American Craft Museum. Other shows include Native Quilters of the Southwest at the Navajo Nation Museum. Her art continues to inspire many people.