Fine Art - Native American Paintings: Sand Painting

Navajo sand painting is a healing medium, meant to restore balance to the inflicted individual. Navajo beliefs differ in this aspect from Western beliefs. We deem a person to be sick whereas the Navajo believe one to be out of balance with nature. We believe the sick should be cured with medicine or surgery. The Navajo believe one can be brought in sync with nature through a healing ceremony involving sand paintings.

It is considered necessary to destroy a sand painting after the completion of the ceremony; therefore it has always been forbidden to make a permanent sand painting. This attitude modified when some entrepreneurial Navajo began affixing the sand to board with glue. These, however, were not healing sand paintings but commercial renderings for sale.