Cover photo: Coyote footprints in freshly made adobes in Death Valley National Park this past December
MUDBLAST – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As the new year begins, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you all for your generous support. Thanks to you, we had a very successful and productive 2023. To celebrate, we would like to share with you an update on some of our exciting winter projects!
The “Mixer” – a gathering of representatives from different tribes to discuss the importance of earthen architecture in their respective cultures.
On November 13th and 14th, 2023, 27 Native American participants from the 2022 Terra Conference reconvened at Santa Clara Pueblo to engage together, strengthen networking, and reinforce the importance of earthen architecture in their respective cultures. Starting out in Puye Cliffs, the ancestral home of Santa Clara Pueblo, the group began the two-day session sharing knowledge in discussions and presentations. The program ended with an assessment of a deteriorating adobe within the Pueblo intended for preservation and community use followed by a visit to a recently preserved home. Cornerstones is proud to have supported this gathering with grant funding from the Getty Foundation and the Chamiza Foundation through the Getty Conservation Institute.
Photo by Garron Yepa
Plaza del Cerro Update!
Things are progressing quickly at the Desiderio y Pablita Ortega Casita in Chimayo, NM. Below is a recent photo taken of the casita, in which you will see roofing going on, and a temporary shelter for the holidays. The Desiderio y Pablita Ortega Casita is an 18th century historic residence contributing to the National Register of Historic Districts, Plaza del Cerro. This project is funded through the Save America’s Treasures Grant. Cornerstones is in partnership with the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association and has retained Avanyu General Contracting to accomplish the work. Avanyu is responsible for the center village restoration going on at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. Many techniques learned there are being applied in Chimayo.
Photo by Mateo Peixinho
Photo by Jake Barrow of Desiderio y Pablita Ortega Casita taken in 2020, before restoration work began.
Death Valley National Park, CA
Cornerstones staff returned to Death Valley National Park, CA to continue restoration work within the Historic Cow Creek Compound, an area within the park designed and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in (est.) 1935 using natural (unstabalized) adobe bricks. The scope of work for this workshop focused on historic foundation repair. Under the direction of master mason, Pete Mass, and NPS historical architect, Randy Skeirik, participants excavated the failing foundation, built forms for foundation reinforcement, and poured a new foundation that will support the compound’s adobe wall. In addition to foundation repair, workshop participants also made 700+ lime amended cap brick adobes that will be placed on top of the unamended adobes during the adobe wall construction workshop that will take place at the park in January.
Cornerstones Interns, Isaiah Romo and Matthew Mulligan making lime amended cap bricks with NPS staff. Photos by Kateri Lopez.
Cornerstones’ First Annual Photo Contest!
Wow! We are beyond thrilled with the level of engagement for our first annual photo contest fundraiser. We received a total of 35 entries from across the U.S. Many showcased community gatherings, matanzas, adobe making days, earthen architecture, and ancestral adobe homes. Thank you to all those who shared your photos with us and thank you to all who voted! We are already looking forward to next year’s photo contest.
First Place Winner: Keeping the Faith by DeAngelo Nieves
Ladies from Doña Ana standing in front of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria at the beginning of the church’s restoration (circa 1992).
Second Place Winner: Gateway of Promise by Robert Bowley
New Mexico has opened her doors to people of many ethnic backgrounds, religions, cultures, and political beliefs. Now we need to find a way to live together harmoniously.
Third Place Winner: Adobe Summer by DeAngelo Nieves
Doña Ana youth making adobes for the restoration of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (circa 1994).
Don’t forget, the winning 3 photographs will be on display at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Library in Albuquerque, NM throughout the month of January!