About SWS

History of the Southwest

The American Southwest has seen many cultures throughout history and truly has one of the most diverse creative spaces in the United States.

Inhabitance of the southwest dates back to around 9,000 B.C. Indigenous people have been hunting and living off the land for centuries, and in the early 1500's, Spanish explorers started to set foot in the American Southwest.

The Spanish brought many changes to the land, and settled many of it as their own. Some of the trades the Spanish introduced to the American Southwest include the mining of precious metals including silver, gold and copper.

The American Southwest ultimately became a place of melted cultures. The Indigenous people and the Spanish learned from each other's cultures and created some of the most unique works of art including jewelry, pottery, clothing, food and much more. Today, you can see this beautiful blend of culture in the artwork in some of the most illustrious and obscure areas of the Southwest.

(Sources: NPS, Legends of the Southwest, interexchange)

About Me

My name is Amanda Stevenson, and I am a native New Mexican. I am the epitome of the New Mexican culture, as my family dates back at least 16 generations here in New Mexico. My family is blended with many different cultures including Spanish and Native American.

My love for Southwestern jewelry comes from my family's history. My grandmother, Cindy Mares, gave me my first squash blossom necklace and I fell in love with the craft that went into creating Southwestern jewelry.

I built Southwest Statements to create a legacy for my daughter, so she will know and continue our story here in the Southwest.

Thank you for supporting my family and my dream!