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In his early days growing up in Wide Ruins, Ariz., Shawn Nelson learned how to focus on something he wanted to create, while sharing his perspectives and lessons learned through art.
These lessons were passed onto him through his grandparents, Albert and Gloria Nelson.
“They taught me how to respect the elders, respect people, introduce yourself,” Nelson said in an Aug. 28 interview. “[They taught me,] feel proud of who you are.”
Nelson was born in 1958 and lived in eastern Los Angeles, Calif., until 1963, when his family returned to New Mexico. He currently lives near Rock Springs.
The journey begins
The concept of identity and its preservation were first given to...