By Daisy Ransom

Growing up in Corrales, New Mexico, I was surrounded at all times by the unique blend of Native American and Mexican culture which exists there. Adobe walls, beautiful pottery, cow skulls bleaching under the clear blue sky. The Southwest is as much a part of me as my own physical body. When I decided to pack up and leave New Mexico to go to school in New York, it was a bittersweet parting. No matter how much I love the bustle and energy of New York City, there will always be a part of me that longs for the hot desert of my youth. 

New York is known for being one of the places where the next big thing in fashion is always happening. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, I cannot help but feel a little out of place among the flashy brands and hot couture styles. I oftentimes find myself missing the desert-fashion of my homeland; turquoise and sterling silver; bright ponchos and cowboy boots; colorful beads and woven designs. 

In my nostalgia for the desert landscape of my youth, I find myself gravitating more and more towards the things which remind me of home, in both my art and my personal style. These things remind me of the lessons I learned growing up in the Southwest; that life is precious, and that beauty can be found in even the most barren of places.