Glow Monkey Studio

About the Piece...

Growing up in New Mexico it would be impossible not to be influenced by the rich culture and history of the Native American tribes and pueblos throughout the state.  New Mexico is home to 19 pueblos, a third of the Navajo Nation, as well as the Jicarilla and Mescalero Apache tribes.

Each of these pueblos and tribes celebrate a rich heritage that is unique in many ways including lifestyle, food, arts and crafts, architecture, religious beliefs, ceremonial customs, and dialects.  These traditions reach back hundreds and even thousands of years to ancient civilizations and prehistoric roots.  Native American people in New Mexico strive to preserve their distinct culture, but the intrusion of contemporary influences often dilutes the ancient ways of living.  

 This piece pays a solemn and humble tribute to New Mexico ’s Native American cultures that continue to struggle with living in two different worlds that battle to coexist.

About the piece...

Being Hispanic and a native of northern New Mexico provides an intriguing genetic link to Old World Spain.  Many of the Hispanic families that exist in New Mexico today are descendants from original Spanish Conquistadors that came north from Mexico in 1598 to colonize the New World. Their offspring cherish their Spanish roots a treasured birthright.  New Mexico’s geographical isolation and unique political history has served to preserve this unique legacy.  It is not unusual to still hear 15^th century Castilian Spanish, also known as Old Spanish, spoken throughout northern New Mexico. 

Because of this extraordinary connection, it seemed appropriate to breath life into one of Spain’s most celebrated fictional characters.  Like the original Conquistadors that left their mark on New Mexico, Don Quixote was a brave and gallant soul.  All too often Don Quixote is depicted as an impressionistic distorted creature without any true representation of his fortitude. 

The Quest is a rare realistic representation of how Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s chivalrous, but misguided knight may have appeared as he set off on his renowned delusional expedition.