5 Questions With: Aggie Villanueva

Posted February 16, 2009, 10:55 am in Arts


She's been dubbed "The Grandma Moses of the Southwest," but Aggie Villanueva has a style all her own. She's an artist and says her passion is trying to capture the environment and people of New Mexico in her work. On her Web site, Aggie says "I attempt to offer Fine Art glimpses into the ancient wisdom and beauty painted within the soul of the Southwest and its people in an effort to depict the same in life and people everywhere." So is it any wonder we jumped at the chance to interview Aggie and learn more about her life?

Make sure you check out her Growing Bolder profile page for links to her galleries, blogs and much more.

To see other articles in the 5 Questions With archive, click here!



How are you Growing Bolder?

Every stage of my life, and also every age of my children, I always proclaimed to be my favorite. This is still true. And yes, I agree with everyone at GB, this is my favorite time.

Have you faced challenges or obstacles in your life that you've had to overcome?

There are three.

One: My first divorce. Of course I won’t talk about any of the details, as both divorces involve another person, and I want to honor their privacy. But hopefully, the different ways I handled it, might help someone.

The first time my heart was shattered I resorted to drink. I did not leave God, and God certainly did not leave me. I remember telling my Lord, “I know myself pretty well, and of course, You know me better. And I know I can’t handle this unless I drink to forget until it doesn’t hurt so badly. God, I’m going to use this crutch for a short while and please don’t forsake me”


I’m not saying God gave me permission to drink, but was tolerant of my situation and knew my heart completely. God knew I wouldn’t leave Him. I tell this story because many people who have a weak time in their life, and resort to one crutch or another, have been mistakenly taught that this means they’ve backslidden, or they are sinning, or something horrible like that.

The one thing in my life that has always been unshakable is my bond with my God. It couldn’t even cross my mind that I would leave my Lord. And everyone around me knew that. One of my best drinking buddies called me his angel of purity. He said I’d shown him how to gain back his lost purity. I used no words; he said that just from spending so much time with me.

When the pain lessened enough a few years later I became a tee-totally once again. Simple as that. I didn’t do anything during those drinking years that I don’t do now, except crying at the drop of a hat, but that wasn’t the drink, but the heartbreak. I know none are sinless. And I’d never make the laughable mistake of thinking I don’t’ sin.

I’m saying that I didn’t consciously do what I know to be wrong any more when I drank than I do now and in all the sober years of life. I actually spent those years trying to ease the heartache of my drinking friends.

Churches aren’t the only place where people are hurting. I spent uncountable days weeping with those who weep, and trying to bring laughter and joy in the end. Hopefully I brought some light into those I encountered in those years. Many have told me that I did. And most are still dear friends.


Two: My second divorce: I had already quit drinking quite a while before. When my heart was shattered this time I guess I had the strength of practice behind me. (I’m chuckling.)

There’s not as much need to describe how I handled this one because seeing someone be strong is not much help to others. It’s when we have a limp that we gain strength, compassion and insight. My pastor back in Kansas City used to say, “Never trust a Christian without a limp.”

This time I woke every morning and spent as much time as I needed that day alone with my grief. If I needed to weep, I wept. But one thing I feel God led me to remind myself several times each day was, “I am responsible for my own joy. No one can give me joy, and certainly no one can take it from me.”

Contrary to my first divorce, I allowed myself to totally feel the grief and move through the grief cycle. A dear friend said to me at the time, “Aggie, he’s not worth all these tears.” But the thing about the grief cycle is you’re not moving through those stages for him, you’re doing it for yourself alone—for your emotional well-being.


Three: health challenges: I’ve had severe health problems since I was a preschooler. No need to recite a litany of them. All I can say about this challenge is that I refused to concentrate on what I can’t do, but what I can.

This is where the World Wide Web can change the life of the health-challenged. I can’t leave the cabin often. But I can have contact with the entire world from here. I founded and run my organizations, contact galleries, and speak to CEOs all from my office chair in my little cabin in the foothill forests of the San Pedro Wilderness.

What is your advice for others looking to follow their passions, but not sure how to get started, or worried about failing?

Failure and rejection are needed. That’s how we learn. They prepare us for success. For me, I’ve always just started looking for what I want. I know I can’t be afraid to fail.


When I was first freelancing, my friends were shocked when I, a typical Midwest housewife, landed an interview with Jim Dandy of Black Oak Arkansas. I read in the paper he was coming to town for a concert and started making calls until I got the number of his agent, who approved me for the interview. We have to just do it.

Describe a great day -- when do you wake up, what are you doing, who are you with ...

I’ve had my camera bionically attached. Even the lens cap now replaces my bum kneecap! My best days are when I load up my dogs, pillows & blankets, food, camera equipment, and head to the mountains for a few days. I’m hoping soon to get a camper shell so I can go in bad weather, which makes for the best photographs.


Who are the people that you look up to? Do you have heroes or role models that have made you strive for more?

When I was a child my first hero was John F. Kennedy because he organized the Peace Corp. My plan was to join when I turned 18, but I was married with a baby at that age.


Golda Meir is also a hero because she convinced her entire brand new country to happily take cuts in pay across the board, lower prices across the board, and volunteer their time for building the nation. I wish our new president would study her political career. She may be just the inspiration our nation needs.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

Right here in the mountains. I hope I never become too feeble to not only lift my eyes to the hills, but to run to them. I’m never happier than when in my beloved mountains.

Want to see more of Aggie's work? Play the slideshow below, or check out her Growing Bolder profile page for links to all of her blogs, galleries, exhibits and more!




To see other articles in the 5 Questions With archive, click here!


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