Rio Chama With Starbust Embellishments

Rag rug in polyester by Georgia Serrano
The jerga pictured (left) was woven by my mother, Georgia Serrano, and is now among the International Folk Art Foundation Collections at the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In designing and creating this master piece, Mrs. Serrano used all polyester fabrics



that she first cut into strips then spun and wove. The jerga is unique not only in its pattern, Rio Chama with starburst embellishments en la movida rapido but in it's unique component, polyster, as well.

This pattern evolved through the weavings of Agueda Martinez and Georgia Serrano along with the weavings of Doña Agueda's other daughters most of whom have attained national recognition in their own right. This time honored pattern that evolved through my family will always be a favorite.

Georgia Serrano learned to weave as a young child just as her mother before here. After raising her children, Mrs. Serrano wove for many years for Ortega's Weaving Shop in Chimayo. She still weaves at her home studio in Medanales at the age 82 and I suppose she has 20 good years left in her judging by the age her mother stopped weaving.

Mrs. Serrano is shown in the picture below as she works at her loom in 1986

Agueda Martinez is pictured at the left with one of her large weavings in the traditional Chimayo Style with two small and one large diamond design between two bands.

Doña Agueda loved to weave and spent many hours dancing on her loom.