Mora Artists

EMBER AS ENDURANCE
In April, CreativeMornings Santa Fe invites you into the enduring glow of creativity shaped by loss and resilience. Three New Mexico women—Anita, Katy, and Kristin—each faced profound disruption from the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire of 2022. Anita lost almost everything, yet she continues to build a life and work around creativity, teaching, and community. Katy’s family home was a generational anchor lost to the fire, and she speaks from a deeply rooted sense of place, care, and creative practice. Kristin was evacuated for six weeks to the Taos Rodeo Grounds, living with livestock and pets, and she brings insights from farming, research, and handmade craft about sustaining work under pressure. Each will share their personal perspectives on how creativity becomes a steady ember—an ongoing, nourishing force that supports healing, connection, and renewal after loss. Expect honesty, practical wisdom, and a hopeful path forward through creativity.

Anita Marie Moss is the founder of Anita's Endeavors LLC, dedicated to all things creative. A lifelong maker and educator, she has built a career teaching and creating—from hand-drawn portraits and photography to murals, mosaics, fiber arts, and culinary ventures. Anita has long been active in community development and has led and organized arts groups and councils in Mora County. Her work centers on building happy, creative communities, with a focus on sharing skills and fostering collaboration.

Katy Yanda was born and raised in northern New Mexico, and has spent her life rooted in care, community, and beauty. She works as a pediatric occupational therapist and writes and photographs with a deep love for family and place. Katy is pursuing a quartet of novels inspired by her family and continues to explore how creativity can thrive within home, memory, and service to others.

Kristin Swoszowski-Tran is an artist, maker, and farmer based in Mora, NM. She runs Ledoux Grange, a certified organic farm, and grows native seeds and pollinator crops. Her practice blends farming, craft, and wellness research, including work on regenerative agriculture and forest therapy. A Ph.D. graduate, Kristin integrates science and art to explore slow, attentive processes, resilience, and the shared stories that connect people to the land.