Puerta Turquesa

I thought I would talk a little more about my Abuelito (grandfather) today in honor of Father's day this weekend, and why I'm always inspired by him. His name was Flavio Montoya and he was an only child, he would talk about how lonely it was without brothers and sisters as he was growing up. Then he met Grandma, and made up for that lonliness by having 10 children, my father being the oldest, I being the oldest grandchild. He didn't speak very good english but was still able to get a good job with the railroad. He moved his family to Denver when the five oldest were still young and stayed here until his death in 1994. Abuelito was a kind old soul, once he was retired he would take the bus all over Denver, always on the go, always meeting complete strangers who became friends, in fact at his funeral here in Denver there were so many people who came to pay their respects and we didn't have a clue who they were! He maintained his land in San Juan, NM, and many childhood summers were spent with my father and grandfather there. He was a fantastic fisherman and there wasn't a fish he couldn't get out of the Pecos River. He took in his father and aunt until their deaths and always told us "¡Tome de su familia, no los puso en un hogar de ancianos para malgastar lejos! Take care of your family, don't put them in a nursing home to waste away!

My grandfather worked hard for his family, leaving us a beautiful piece of earth called San Juan and all the memories that come with it, did he know he was leaving us a place to go for solitude and refocusing? I think so, I think he loved us that much!

This necklace was made just like so many of my pieces are - because of stories that Abuelito told me or some other memory of years gone by.