New Mexico artist last in his family to carry on rug weaving tradition

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – One artist in Española is carrying on the tradition of rug weaving. Pat Trujillo is the last in his family to do so.

Some of the most iconic designs and unique patterns are brought to life through the art of weaving. “Oh, I love it, yeah. I’m not as fast as I would like to be, you know. I’ll stand here at the loom and I’ll do a little bit of weaving then I’ll look out the window and look at the cars go by. But, to see a completed piece is terrific because you don’t really know what it’s going to look like until you get it off the loom,” Trujillo said.

Trujillo fell in love with weaving at an early age and it is in his blood. “It’s been in my family for generations. My grandfather E.D. Trujillo and my grandmother Romanita Martinez Trujillo, they started the business in 1917 in Rincon de los Trujillos in upper Chimayo,” Trujillo said. That business became the Chimayo Trading Post, with the weavings becoming the primary trade.

With a change in times came a change in trends and access to work. Some families, like Pat’s, were moving on from weaving as a primary source of making a living. “You can’t get an income as well as you would do in Los Alamos or Santa Fe, it’s just totally different,” Trujillo said.

Weavings are still created, and sold and are a big staple of the trading post. But, Pat’s creations are for the love of the craft. “Tradition, totally tradition. You have to remember what your grandparents did or your great grandparents, it’s traditional. This is what we do, this is who we are,” Trujillo said.

Just up the road Carlos Trujillo, no direct relation to Pat, is trying to keep up with his weaving demand and production at his family shop. He is running into the same problem of finding the next generation of weavers. “It’s getting harder. There’s a decline in the number of people who are interested in it. So we’re still trying to keep it going, but it is getting more difficult,” Carlos said.

Pat continues his work for customers and family, because when he passes the skill and trade will go with him. “I’m it, I’m the end of the line. It crosses my mind, almost all the time. What are we going to do with the business? You have to come to terms with that and that’s just the way it is,” Trujillo said.

Demands for the coveted weaving works from Northern New Mexico reach outside the U.S. Places like China are now placing orders for the talents and products of weavers like Pat Trujillo.

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