About the Artist

Board of Directors:
New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair (http://www.nmartsandcraftsfair.org)
Standards-Elect

Memberships:
Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (http://www.ahcnm.org)
Bead Society of New Mexico (http://www.newmexicobeadsociety.org)
Corrales Society of Artists (http://www.corralesartists.org)
Hispanic Women's Council (http://www.nmhwc.com)

Gallery:

Yucca Art Gallery www.yuccaartgallery.com
206 1/2 San Felipe SW
Old Town
Albuquerque, NM 87104

Hello, I am Linda Reyes-Alicea, the artist behind the sophisticated style of R-A Designs New Mexico. I am inspired by color and fueled with a passion for hand-crafted jewelry. I personally design and create each piece in my New Mexico studio.

Jewelry has been a love of mine, from a very young age. Life put me in the corporate world where my love of design kept coming through as "doodles" (yes, even during meetings). Sketchbooks were full of ideas. Yet the idea of actually making jewelry remained elusive.

After retiring, I dabbled in a couple of creative outlets without fan fare. There just wasn't the excitement my jewelry designing had. So, I decided to try stringing a beaded necklace. While shopping for beads, I befriended a Native American woman who taught me the fundamentals of beading, her experience of creating jewelry her entire life, enhanced my love of color and the appreciation of the rich earth tones of the Southwestern deserts to the cool and refreshing tones of lakes, rivers and seas. This awakened my sense of design. Jewelry making was taking hold.

I made a few pieces and thought I would take some up to show some out-of-state friends and get their feedback on my new hobby. They never got to say much since almost the entire collection was sold on the plane ride up! R-A Designs New Mexico was being born.

The exciting new hobby was the passion I have always had. More formal training in stones, design and metal-smithing were needed to execute all my designs fully. After successfully gaining the skills to put some of my ideas together, I became more proficient at mixing and fusing materials. I enjoy blending the rugged elements of natural stones and metal-forming, with refined, clean details and finishes which is what I believe, makes the unique style of R-A Designs New Mexico.

I am constantly searching for new and unique components and ideas. As a result, many of my designs are truly one-of-a-kind. I handcraft each piece utilizing the quality element of gemstones, freshwater pearls, precious and semi-precious stones and metals. I continue to enjoy watching the trends in jewelry by frequenting designer markets in NYC.

In addition to the passion I have for creating jewelry I am equally committed to the finding of a cure for breast cancer. I know each of us has been touched by this disease in some form or another. I have created some jewelry where a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Susan G Komen Foundation. Please take a minute to check out the "Going Pink" link.

I am hopeful that your visit to my website will be as enjoyable for you as it is for me to create my designs.