Roberta Archuleta
Art has always been part of Roberta Archuleta’s life. As part of a family from Taos and Santa Ana Pueblos, Roberta always knew she wanted to create art. Growing up in Taos, she learned to draw and paint from “her father and Bob Ross.” After graduating from Santa Fe Indian School she attended the Institute for American Indian Arts. It was there she fell in love with photography. That interest took her to UNM where she received her degree.
Life took her on a different path after finishing her degree. With a daughter to raise, Roberta put her art aside and focused on work and parenting. But art was still a part of her and, though it would be a while, she eventually returned to school to pursue a second degree in environmental design and architecture at CNM.
It was at CNM that she discovered the Bench Jewelry program. Roberta decided to take some of the classes in the program for fun and for what she calls “purely selfish reasons.” Finding rings the right size had always been difficult for her and, since she loves wearing them, the idea of creating her own seemed like a way to get a perfect fit.
Plunging into jewelry making took her into a new arena of art. She had family who made jewelry, but she herself hadn’t done more than string jewelry pieces. Her favorite pieces are “bold and unique.” She’s a fan of pop culture and enjoys putting her own twist on pieces that reflect that. When creating designs, she looks for what she hasn’t seen before, hoping to create something new and unique. Her style, she says, isn’t the traditional approach, although it is influenced by her culture.
Through these classes she learned how much she enjoys the process of creating jewelry. Two of her favorite techniques are casting and carving wax. One day she hopes to restore an old adobe shed into a studio where she can pursue all of her art interests. As a recipient of a KITA scholarship from the Tskies Artist Co-Op, it’s our hope that she can make that dream a reality. We look forward to the beautiful art Roberta will create in the years to come.
Life took her on a different path after finishing her degree. With a daughter to raise, Roberta put her art aside and focused on work and parenting. But art was still a part of her and, though it would be a while, she eventually returned to school to pursue a second degree in environmental design and architecture at CNM.
It was at CNM that she discovered the Bench Jewelry program. Roberta decided to take some of the classes in the program for fun and for what she calls “purely selfish reasons.” Finding rings the right size had always been difficult for her and, since she loves wearing them, the idea of creating her own seemed like a way to get a perfect fit.
Plunging into jewelry making took her into a new arena of art. She had family who made jewelry, but she herself hadn’t done more than string jewelry pieces. Her favorite pieces are “bold and unique.” She’s a fan of pop culture and enjoys putting her own twist on pieces that reflect that. When creating designs, she looks for what she hasn’t seen before, hoping to create something new and unique. Her style, she says, isn’t the traditional approach, although it is influenced by her culture.
Through these classes she learned how much she enjoys the process of creating jewelry. Two of her favorite techniques are casting and carving wax. One day she hopes to restore an old adobe shed into a studio where she can pursue all of her art interests. As a recipient of a KITA scholarship from the Tskies Artist Co-Op, it’s our hope that she can make that dream a reality. We look forward to the beautiful art Roberta will create in the years to come.
