Adobe in the Southwest

This is my final check in on the NCC Blog from what is now called Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe is on occupied Tewa (Pueblo) land and sits where a Pueblo village, called Oga Pogeh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place), was before European colonization. I am here working with Cornerstones Community Partnerships, an organization that restores historic adobe buildings around the greater Southwest. Gearing up for projects in summer, we have been hosting community adobe brick-making events. We are inviting the public to make bricks with us to be a part of the restorations in Northern New Mexico. 

Setting up for the event. 

Here are some images of San Rafael Church in La Cueva, NM that Cornerstones restored years ago.

I also recently had the opportunity to travel to some important adobe structures around the Southwest, including Siwañ Wa’a Ki: (O’odham for name for Casa Grande) in Arizona. This Hokoham site was a huge center for trade in the region for over a thousand years before 1450 AD. Macaws from now-called Southern Mexico and Belize were traded through here for turquoise from now-called Arizona and New Mexico. 

Images of Casa Grande in Arizona.

In addition to visiting Arcosanti in Arizona and working with Cornerstones in both California and New Mexico, I have been working on a body of artwork of my own and a publication of my writing. This body of work is in progress, but has included working with earthen materials and researching extractive industries in the US West. Thank you, Issac