SAGUACHE – The San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Project is proud to help inspire and bring the art of colcha embroidery to students at Mountain Valley School. 

Mountain Valley School Art Teacher Katlynn Scanga, who works with children from kindergarten through high school, spoke about colcha embroidery. 

“I love being an art teacher. I love kids. It’s wonderful to see their imagination just come to life through their work. There is just so much talent there. The kids were introduced to colcha embroidery, and we had these artists come in and show the kids the stitch. It’s just one stitch. The kids were so excited, the next day they asked if they could do it again. They really enjoyed it, and it was fun to see how much they enjoyed it,” Scanga said. 

According to San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery Project coordinator Adrienne Garbini, the project is a collaboration between HEART of Saguache, a non-profit organization that helps engage residents in education, coalition building, and advocacy, and The Range, an art space in Saguache. Different artists in the Valley are also in partnership with the project. The project helps bring colcha embroidery to different schools and places in the San Luis Valley, by using grants to help with supplies needed for the embroidery and teacher stipends. 

According to Garbini, financial support for the project has come from Think 360 Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth, the Southern Colorado Community Foundation, AJL Foundation, and Rawlings Foundation. 

According to the Colcha Club at santafenewmexican.com, the art of colcha embroidery dates back to the early 19th century and originates from northern New Mexico. It brings to life pictures and history using wool fibers and sewing them together on a wool or cloth background to form beautiful imagery. 

Scanga also spoke about the different colcha embroidery projects that the kids in different grades worked on, stating that some of the younger students worked on Colorado flags or flowers, while the older ones worked on stories or memories. 

“We only have a small amount of time in class, but I try to take at least one day a week to do colcha with the kids. We do go back and forth between different projects, too,” she said. 

Garbini said that she has also seen the students work on different symbols while making colchas. 

“We teach these kids very hands-on, how to do the colcha stitch. A lot of them do things that are about symbols. This tends to be pretty popular. This is a really powerful way for a student to identify with something, choosing a symbol that really sums things up for them in their lives,” Garbini said. 

Scanga spoke about a couple of projects that her older students worked on. 

“With my older kids, the way it started was the guest artists told the students to choose five memories and five places. I wanted their projects to be personal for them,” Scanga said. 

Scanga said that the nice thing about the embroidery lessons were that there are so many different colored yarn fibers to choose from to create the artworks. 

“We were provided with sewing supplies, and many buckets of colored yarn by the SLV Colcha Embroidery Project. One of my students worked on a park with a swing set, it was something she remembered from being a young child,” Scanga said. 

Garbini said that the artists go in and teach the students and then the embroidery project supports the teachers as they work through the semester with their students. 

“They encourage them and help them with their projects. A big part of the program is to give the students time with the artists. It’s a great opportunity for the students to meet some of our elders, and to build relationships with these special people that do this amazing art,” Garbini said. 

Each year, The Range in Saguache presents different art exhibitions. This year, The Range will feature art made by students at Mountain Valley School and colcha embroidery from the school as well as Centennial, and Sierra Grande schools. The exhibit will be on May 1, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The Range is at 307 4th St. in Saguache.  

Scanga said the students are excited about seeing their art projects in a gallery, and she is excited too. 

“I am just so proud of all the kids. I want to show these kids that their artwork can really take them places, and open doors for them. Even if they struggle in other areas like I do, I want them to see that they can excel in art. The world is at their fingertips, I want to help them see that,” she said. 

For more information on the SLV Colcha Embroidery Project, visit slvcolchaembroidery.org. For more information on HEART, visit heartofsaguache.org. For more information on The Range, visit therangeontheinternet.org.