Colcha embroidery artist Julia R. Gómez (photograph and biography by Rebecca Abrams, September 2020)
Julia R. Gomez (born 1941, Madrid, New Mexico) was first exposed to colcha embroidery by her mentor, Mónica Sosaya-Halford, in the 1970s. She later learned to weave at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, where master weaver, Beatrice Maestas Sandoval, instructed Julia on working with natural dyes and handspun yarn so as to employ many of the same methods that the Spanish settlers of northern New Mexico used in colonial times. Julia is among the few artists who spins Churro wool and weaves sabanilla backing cloth made during the colonial period in this far northern province of New Spain. Since retiring in 2002, following a 36-year career teaching home economics in the Santa Fe public schools, Julia has devoted herself to colcha embroidery. She has participated in Spanish Market for eighteen years. Among many honors, she won Best of Show in 2010. Her piece, "Tree of Life," was chosen in 2015 for the Spanish Market poster. Julia's "Tree of Life" now resides at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Arts (MOSCA), where she teaches monthly. Julia teaches whenever and wherever she can, including at the Santa Fe Senior Center, through a great from MOSCA, and at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, where Julia loves teaching children about hand-dying, hand-spinning, and hand-weaving. Several of Julia's young students have participated in Youth Spanish Market, one even winning Blue Ribbon for colcha embroidery in 2019. Julia has been instrumental in founding colcha embroidery clubs in Taos and Albuquerque, NM, and reviving a group in San Luis, Colorado. In October 2020, Julia presented her work in the online conference, The Inspired Needle, hosted by Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, Delaware, and at the biannual symposium of the Textile Society of America. Julia has demonstrated colcha embroidery as far away as China, where in 2015 she received an Honorary Credential and Master Artist Recognition. Julia graduated from Santa Fe High School and New Mexico State University and did her graduate work at the University of New Mexico in education. She has one daughter, Sarahmaria, who lives and works in China, a country that Julia has visited five times.
Pictured Above:
Our Lady of the Assumption / Nuestra Señora Santisima de la Asunción by Julia R Gómez
This colcha work, with the sabanilla background completely embroidered, is made of handspun Churro wool colored with natural dyes. 28x23 inches.
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Nativity Scene / La Navidad by Julia R Gómez
Nativity scene embroidered in handspun Churro wool yarn, in a tin frame by Justin Myrant. 26x23x2 inches.
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Pajaros de Nuevo Mexico / Birds of New Mexico by Julia R Gómez
Birds embroidered in natural-dye handspun Churro wool on a merino wool base fabric. Left to right below: blue grosbeak, blackbilled magpie, yellow warbler, barn swallow, scarlet tanager. Left to right above: hummingbird, verdin. 48x21 inches.
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Jardín de la Primavera / Springtime Garden by Julia R Gómez
Birds and bees and butterfly among vines, embroidered on sabanilla ground cloth using handspun natural-dye Churro wool yarn. 25x23 inches.
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Hummingbird Delight by Julia R Gómez
Table scarf: flower enticing hummingbird. Colcha embroidery on sabanilla ground fabric, made of handspun natural-dye Churro wool. 28x13 inches.
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Vamos a la Playa / Let's Go to the Beach by Julia R Gómez
Birds are running to the beach on this wall hanging or table scarf. Colcha embroidery on sabanilla base fabric, all of handspun natural-dye Churro wool. 24x18 inches.
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Protecting My Nest by Julia R Gómez
On this wall hanging, a stylized bird among flowers protects a nest. Colcha embroidery on sabanilla base fabric, all of handspun natural-dye Churro wool. 18x14 inches.
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Mary Magdalene by Julia R Gómez
This is a traditional style colcha embroidery in which the entire sabanilla ground cloth is covered with stitching. Fringed, and worked in handspun natural-dye Churro wool. 12x15 inches.
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St. Francis by Julia R Gómez
Wall hanging depicting St. Francis, patron saint of Santa Fe, who loved animals. Handspun natural-dye Churro wool, sabanilla ground fabric. 11x7 inches.
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St. Therese by Julia R Gómez
Wall hanging depicting St. Therese, "The Little Flower." Handspun natural-dye Churro wool, sabanilla ground fabric. 11x7 inches.
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St. Peter by Julia R Gómez
The artist writes "St. Peter's name means rock. Jesus told Peter he was the rock on which he would build his church." Handspun natural-dye Churro wool, sabanilla ground fabric. 11x7 inches.
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Santo Niño de Praga / Infant Jesus of Prague by Julia R Gómez
The Infant of Prague is the patron saint of children. Handspun natural-dye Churro wool, sabanilla ground fabric. 11x7 inches.
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Descanso / Rest in Peace by Julia R Gómez
Gómez explains "In New Mexico these crosses are a sign where people have been buried or where someone has died." Handspun natural-dye Churro wool, sabanilla ground fabric. 11x7 inches.