Tammy Wenderlich is the owner and artist at Desert Bird Mercantile in Albuquerque’s Old Town. After retiring from a career in software engineering ten years ago, she opened a home goods gift store. She began with sewing and later started painting her own fabrics, which she used to make cushions. To create a sustainable business, Wenderlich used her computer skills to design custom textiles. She now produces cushions, clothing, tote bags, and wall art.
Wenderlich’s creative process starts with traditional art tools such as acrylics, watercolors, and chalk. She makes prints on paper and then digitizes selected designs to create repeating patterns for textiles. She has also written a series of ABC books about different states, illustrating them with her own sketches and patterns.
Desert Bird Mercantile displays Wenderlich’s designs. A second location in Corrales features her work and furniture made by her husband, Neal. His furniture is influenced by the American Arts and Crafts movement and is designed to complement Wenderlich’s textiles. Both artists draw on New Mexico’s culture and landscape in their work…