In his early days growing up in Wide Ruins, Ariz., Shawn Nelson learned how to focus on something he wanted to create, while sharing his perspectives and lessons learned through art.

These lessons were passed onto him through his grandparents, Albert and Gloria Nelson.

“They taught me how to respect the elders, respect people, introduce yourself,” Nelson said in an Aug. 28 interview. “[They taught me,] feel proud of who you are.”

Nelson was born in 1958 and lived in eastern Los Angeles, Calif., until 1963, when his family returned to New Mexico. He currently lives near Rock Springs.

The journey begins

The concept of identity and its preservation were first given to...

When Mary Walker started teaching other people about weaving in 2006, she did not suspect her experience and lessons would lead her to establish a shop close to the Navajo Nation.

But exactly that happened in September 2017, when she opened Weaving in Beauty at 233 W. Coal Ave. The shop is dedicated to expanding the appreciation and knowledge of the textiles present in the southwestern United States, and offers cleaning, repair and appraisal of flat-woven textiles.

Weaving in Beauty also offers classes in fiber techniques to help others learn how to weave. The shop currently holds bi-weekly courses in Gallup, in Window Rock at the Quality Inn, and various other sites, including an...

Cheyenne Martinez displayed her artistic talents at the UNM-Gallup Spring Student Art Show and walked away with a top ribbon for “Best in Show – Drawing.”

With the ribbon in hand as well as a recently earned Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, Martinez is embarking on a new stage in her life as she heads to Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Originally from Tsayatoh, N.M., Martinez is a 2014 graduate of Gallup High School who enrolled in UNM-Gallup right after commencement. After her first semester she decided to go a different direction and enlisted in active duty with the U.S. Army.

She returned...

Armando Alvarez Compean, who lived in Gallup for more than 20 years, died June 1 in Descanso, Calif. He was 79.

Born in Mexico, he came to the United States at an early age and worked as a businessman for many years in Brownsville, TX before starting a career as a painter.

He came to Gallup to visit his brother, Alex Alvarez, who was a golf pro here, and decided to stay. While here he married his third wife, Gaye Brown, who worked as a writer and copy editor for the Gallup Independent.

A year after coming here, he secured a contract with the City of Gallup to build a sculpture to reflect the nature of the city and its people. The $100,000 contract resulted in the creation of the...