About Me



 

Aragon, NM.  Whenever these words come up in conversation, someone always asks, where is it?  It is a cluster of homes in west-central New Mexico, scattered in the semi-arid region.  Most of the residents are descendant of Spanish settlers from the Old World.  I was given my first breath by the grace of God in the summer of 1978.  My parent’s lineage can be traced back to the days when this land was under Spanish rule.  To this very day in 2019, Aragon, NM has not implemented traffic control.

I was brought up in this land helping my parents with the chores of survival.  It was difficult days of physical work, but it also left a lot of time for contemplation.   Much of my free time was spent listening to elders relating historical stories.  I was a frequent visitor at my paternal grandparents in Gutierrez Ville, NM, learning from and assisting them whenever possible, and was also close to my maternal grandmother who taught me much about domestic duties and how to tie fence stays.  On occasion, members of Alamo Navajo Indian Reservation near Magdalena, NM would visit with my father, bringing their original silver creations along.  My high school days were in the town of Reserve, NM in a forested region of the Gila National Forest it was during these years that I was exposed for the first time to the diverse cultures that may be awaiting me.  For six years after high school, I did not have a set direction as to what I wished or wanted to do going forward. I did, however, have various jobs providing for my physical needs while attending college.

     I came to the big city of Albuquerque, NM and attended the University of New Mexico,  I latched on to the immense opportunity to learn and took courses in the arts, humanities and sciences including physics, chemistry and mathematics whereby extending the curiosity I was having in the natural beauties surrounding Aragon - also satisfying the basic requirements for pharmacy and nursing.  Having attained more than sufficient credit hours, I chose to graduate with a degree in Cultural Anthropology….

     …..I once saw a lady with a silver bracelet, I thought then that I could make one.  Having a piece of silver, A torch, hammer and the ball joint of a trailer hitch, I did succeed in creating one.  This awakened me as to my passion. It is to create jewelry from concepts based on my lineage, my experiences of childhood and youth, observations I have had the privilege to know, and knowledge I have attained during studies and travels.   This creative process is, in no doubt, continuing and evolving.

     I have returned to nature and my humble beginnings.  I now reside in the mountains east of Albuquerque.  It is in this tranquil and peaceful surrounding that provides me with the stimulation to capture the fruits of my imagination and create singular pieces of jewelry which I would humbly share with you.

Thank you for stopping by Lumbredesigns.com 

🔥Monica Gutierrez ❤