Karen Brueggemann, almost of native New Mexican, has been "creating" since childhood. The art classes she took in junior high and high school proved beneficial in the early years of her married life while raising two children. Painting could be done at home, and it didn't take long for her art work to start bringing in extra funds for the family. Oil paintings, serigraph printing, and watercolors were mediums she concentrated on for more than 25 years.
In 1990, with kids grown and out on their own, life afforded her the opportunity for a new medium in which she could engage the skills and knowledge of her husband. Ted being a machinist by trade, metal was a natural for them- to pursue. Karen always felt that copper was the "warm and friendly" metal, so copper it was. Together they spent the next eight years creating pieces and developing markets for their hand-spun, decorated copper bowls At one point, Ted's machine shop work kept him very busy leaving little time for copper spinning, so Karen started pounding copper to create platters, bowls, and wall hangings to decorate. Soon she decided to try some sculpture and chose a subject that' she so often used in her paintings and in decorating the copper bowls. Petroglyphs! The rock art spirit figures had always intrigued her, and she welcomed the opportunity to once again utilize those ancient designs to create her own unique style of work.

Each shaman figure is hand-formed and one-of-a-kind. Decorated with natural colors brought about by heat from a torch, and enhancea with turquoise, polished stones, beads, and other found objects. Every shaman develops it's own unique personality. Each piece has 2 coats of acrytic spray to protect it from fingerprints and tarnishing. Colors will last longer if not placed in direct sunlight.

With help from Ted, they sell their shamans at select arts and crafts shows and exhibit their work in several galleries around the country. The shamans can also be seen in the tasting room of their family owned winery.