The spelling of my name is not traditional. Technically it should be Porfiria (like my grandpa Porfirio). When I’ve searched the meaning I typically come across “stubborn” and “the preferred one.” I’m not sure about the second description but I know I’ve been told many times that I am stubborn. I know it can be a negative attribute and it has stuck me negatively in many ways.

More recently, I have come across nothing but obstacles in trying to share my art in a wearable and sustainable way. Time and time again I come across “we’ve never done that before.” Wait…what? For example, the art on my shirts can be reproduced using less expensive shirts with plastisol inks, but stubbornly I pushed until I found a screen printer willing to take this on with water based ink and sustainable fabrics.

Next I decided I wanted to make earrings. My sister-in-law cut a few of my designs a few years back and they were beautiful. I was ready to add some to my website. I decided I wanted to use local and reclaimed wood. It sounded easy enough. In all of these projects, I thought time was going to be my biggest obstacle, HA! I quickly came to realize the “wooden” earrings so often sold online are not actually pure wood!? First I was upset that I had fallen into another trap as a consumer. Then I was insecure that my earrings were not “perfect.” The wood grain is evident and the engraving is not completely smooth.

As I was staining the earrings with teak oil, the message I had chosen for one of the designs smacked me between the eyes. “A beautiful thing is never perfect.'“ So, I present my latest creation made of real reclaimed walnut or reclaimed USA barn wood provided by another local business Front Range Timber. They have been amazingly kind! I’ve come to realize they are perfect in what I set out to achieve.