Irvin, Lisa & Emily Trujillo - UNESCO Creative City 20th Anniversary Booth

Woven Through Time: Eight Generations of Rio Grande Weaving in Chimayó

In the village of Chimayó, nestled in the mountains of Northern New Mexico, the Trujillo family continues the tradition of Rio Grande weaving—a practice carried across generations, now into its eighth generation in their family.

Irvin Trujillo, a seventh-generation weaver, learned the art from his father, Jacobo Trujillo, who helped preserve the Chimayó style of weaving during the 20th century. Irvin began weaving in 1965, eventually founding Centinela Traditional Arts with his wife Lisa in 1982. Today, their daughter Emily has joined them, bringing new energy and design influence to the family’s practice, representing the eighth generation of weavers in their lineage.

Rio Grande weaving is an umbrella term that includes Rio Grande, Saltillo, Vallero, and Chimayó styles—each one a visual language developed by Hispanos who settled in the region in the early 1600s. The Trujillos specialize in Chimayó weaving, known for its symmetry, central motifs, and vivid color. Their woven pieces have been used in clothing, upholstery, and interior design—but at its core, this artform remains a deeply cultural expression, maintained by a small number of dedicated artists and families in Northern New Mexico.

Together, the Trujillos operate Centinela Traditional Arts, one of only three weaving galleries remaining in Chimayó. Their work blends historical patterns with modern interpretations, drawing inspiration from traditional forms and contemporary art, music, and personal storytelling. Irvin is renowned for his natural dye mastery and received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2007 and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2015. Lisa has studied and taught traditional Chimayó weaving for over four decades, while Emily links ancestral knowledge with present-day creativity through weaving and fashion design.

For the Trujillos, weaving is more than a livelihood—it’s a family legacy, a cultural anchor, and a way to keep Northern New Mexico’s folk art traditions alive and evolving.