New Mexico is a mosaic of cultures and traditions that can be traced from prehistoric to present times. Native Americans, Hispanics and Anglos have left evidence of their heritage scattered across the landscape where crumbling adobe walls, abandoned missions and old forts mark sites of previous habitation. No where else in the United States has so large a population retained its cultural identity, largely intact, for so many years.

New Mexicans are proud of their diversity. However, to infer a history of tri-cultural harmony would be a simplification. New Mexico’s history is rift with periods of tension, violence and bloodshed. The challenge in compiling this portfolio has been to capture the grandeur of each culture and the essence of its Enduring Traditions without denying conflict, struggle and change.

                                                                                            The Native American Gallery 

In the Native American Gallery, I strive to illustrate the connection between the Ancient Puebloan Culture of Chaco Canyon and the contemporary Pueblo People who live along the Rio Grande today and in detached communities throughout New Mexico. My images of Chaco Canyon date back to 1969 when I visited the Canyon for the first time. My recent images of the Aztec site are indicative of the migration of Chacoan People throughout the Southwest around 1200 A.D. Eventually, the Pueblo People settled along the Rio Grande and in villages such as Acoma. My images of Acoma date to the late 1970’s. I photographed the contemporary Pueblo People at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque in 2019.

                                                                                               The Hispanic, Gallery

In the Hispanic Gallery I attempt to depict the faith, religiosity and pride of the Hispanic people without overlooking their colonization of   the indigenous people. Many of the Hispanic villages of northern New Mexico remain very much as they were centuries ago. 

                                                                                         The Rural New Mexico Gallery

I photographed Rural New Mexico during the Covid 19 pandemic when I rarely saw another person. I was able to imagine the sense of isolation the early Hispanic people must have felt as well as the importance of faith in navigating their everyday lives. I have loved New Mexico from the first time I saw her in 1965. The spell she cast was life changing, and in 1975 I moved to New Mexico with my two young sons. I was seduced by the smell of piñon burning in corner fireplaces, the thunderclouds radiant in summer swelling before an eventual burst and the diverse cultures creating a mosaic as beautiful as a patchwork quilt.

Soon after we arrived, my sons and I traveled to all areas of the state. We pitched our tent, unrolled our sleeping bags and settled into our New Mexico experiences. While our explorations of New Mexico were frequent at first, they dwindled as the boys grew up and eventually left home.

When Covid 19 struck New Mexico in March 2020, I reviewed my mental list of well-loved villages and scenic vistas and considered the possibility of safe social distancing in remote areas of New Mexico. I speculated, I would be far enough away from the virus, and keeping my distance, I, as well as others, would remain safe.

Each Friday I ventured out with my camera to savor and capture images of beloved spots. In the three months of Covid isolation, I visited 14 villages across Northern New Mexico. I found the landscapes as beautiful and varied as always. The once viable village life, however, was decaying. Adobe homes had crumbled or melted into heaps, doors and window frames stood stark without supporting walls, fields were fallow and farm equipment and out-dated appliances were stacked high.  The population was sparse, and I seldom saw another person.

I was shocked by the poverty. Perhaps I feared, because of my own aging, I identified with the slumping buildings. Perhaps I was so in love with New Mexico 45 years ago, I did not notice the poverty at that time. Perhaps life was easier then, the fields greener and small farms and ranches were alive and thriving. Nevertheless, I was shocked, and I was sad.

There has been a trend away from rural life. Replacing antiquated electrical wiring and heating units and bringing water into houses along with toilets are expensive endeavors. It is easier and more economical to let the adobes melt, haul in mobile homes and assemble prefabricated houses. 

Most of the villages I visited were located in Rio Arriba County (8). Other villages were located in the counties of Taos (1), Santa Fe (1), Mora (1), Sandoval (1), Guadalupe (1), and San Miguel (1). With the exception of Guadalupe county, the population of all remaining counties was living below the national poverty line.  In Rio Arriba County alone, 26.4% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2017. 

Rural New Mexico is poor, although an adequate standard of living is a basic human right that includes employment opportunities, affordable housing, health care, education and enough money to live on. My images document the poverty of rural New Mexico and the changes that are occurring. I hope those of you who see my photography will be more aware of the loss of the unique way of life that was once rural New Mexico. I ask the questions: can the decline be mitigated by attention to the human right to an adequate standard of living or must we accept that the old ways are no longer viable and turn our attention to facilitating the migration away from the rural lifestyle and towards the population centers?  

                                                                                                The Espanola Gallery

I have also included my images of the Espanola: People and Places exhibit in the portfolio. I believe they convey a sense of the present-day in a primarily Hispanic New Mexican town. Espanola has a long and interesting history. Contrary to what many people believe, Espanola, not Santa Fe, was the first capital of Spain in Nuevo Mexico founded as San Juan de los Caballeros in 1598 and renamed Espanola in 1880. For hundreds of years it was a  community of Hispanic and Native American farmers, later a railroad town, the center of a multimillion dollar wool enterprise,  a merchant community of small family-owned businesses and a source of workers for Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory. It is famous as the lowrider capital of the world.

Like many small towns and villages, Espanola has had its challenges. When the railroad ceased to serve Espanola in the 1940’s, the population began to dwindle as people moved away. Many historic buildings in the downtown area were abandoned or demolished.   The problems are similar throughout Northern New Mexico in general: access to health care, addiction, few viable employment opportunities for the younger generation and too many people living below the poverty level. Strip malls, chain stores and casino have become more identifiable as landmarks than evidence of the traditional culture.Nevertheless, Espanola is vital, the people friendly, and the traditional culture continues to live in the families and hearts of its residents.

                                                                                                 The Anglo Gallery

In the Anglo Gallery, I strive to document the history of western expansion, the development of a gun culture and the struggle to settle a hostile land. I also want to recognize the contributions of the Anglo population to ranching, arts and culture and economic development in New Mexico.

Please enjoy the images. I welcome your feedback through my newsletter below.