Exploring New Mexico
Every Fall we head to New Mexico to connect with our silversmith artisans and collaborate on new pieces (yet another reason Fall is our favorite season!). This year, we decided to bring along a collection of our exclusive designs to shoot while in Las Cruces, White Sands, and of course Santa Fe.
After landing in El Paso, Texas, we first headed to Las Cruces, the second largest city in the state. Our home for the next few days was a special spot called Clara’s Nest, an original 1880’s adobe compound complete with a courtyard, huge handcrafted wood beams, hand-painted murals, and vintage textiles throughout the interior.
We spent the evening exploring Old Mesilla Village, a historical community famous for its colorful artwork, traditional adobe structures, and dried chile ristras.
The next morning, we made our way in the early hours to White Sands National Park. White Sands is made up of rare white gypsum sand, making it the largest gypsum dune field in the world. We were lucky to have two full days capturing all the photographic magic that this beautiful place has to offer. If you have never been, White Sands is worth the trek and is an unforgettable experience.
The next stop on our New Mexico tour was its capital, the vibrant and artistic community of Santa Fe. We stayed on Calle Corvo, a unique street best known for its diverse variety of art galleries and shops. We had so much fun exploring Downtown Santa Fe, where we celebrated a fruitful photo shoot with tapas and window shopping.
On our last day of the trip, we drove out to Tent Rocks National Monument, easily identified by massive and scenic cone-shaped rock formations. Braving the forecast and intimidating gray skies, we loaded up our backpacks with cameras and blankets and began hiking into the slot canyon. Even though we were determined to make it to the top (we had been looking forward to witnessing tent rocks from the highest point of the canyon), the rain had different plans and the sprinkle became a pour, which led to a dangerously fast growing stream. These conditions wreak havoc for slot canyon hikers and sure enough we witnessed the canyon begin to flood. It was a close call for a good handful of hikers, who came fleeing out behind us. Luckily, everyone appeared to have made it out safe.
After we dried off and warmed up, the weather finally cleared up allowing us one last adventure. We drove to Plaza Blanca, a huge white limestone rock formation located near the very small town of Abiqui (you may know Plaza Blanca was one of Georgia O'Keeffe's favorite places and it was obvious why). We were pleasantly surprised to be the only people for miles and were able to fully experience this incredible space all to ourselves. The towering white stone pillars are massive and surreal, making the perfect backdrop for our vibrant blankets. We spent hours absorbing this peaceful place, watching the birds swarm the towers as the sun fell behind Plaza Blanca. This was the perfect end to our tour.
New Mexico is a stunningly beautiful place, both in landscape and people. It will always be a special place to Tribe + True and we'll be back soon!
