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Show Reflections, June 14, 1984, Page 2 by Margaret Van Noy B355S355S! Willie Sisneros Carves Some Crafty Furniture mrc The comfortable Tooele home of Willie and Erika Sisneros is a far cry from the home they lived in after their marriage more than 35 years ago. Situated in El Rito, New Mexico, that small house had no electricity or running water. Light was provided by a lamp carried from room to room. Water was drawn from a well and heated on the stove for washing diapers and for filling the tin basin sitting on a wooden stand. But there are some things which remain from those bygone days: the washstand itself and most of the furniture is the same as it was then all of it crafted by Mr. Sisneros. Those elegant and decorative pieces which give the home on Millcreek Way its personality and charm are so magnificent that an observer would insist they must have been created for the most opulent mansion. In reality, they were built for the humblest of dwellings to serve a utilitarian purpose. Because there was no plumbing in the tiny house, the exquisitely carved washstand held a basin and a pitcher of water for the familys daily washings. There were no kitchen cabinets, the beautiful buffet held the familys cooking and eating utensils. Nor were there any closets until Mr. Sisneros built an elegant armoire with i drawers and a wardrobe with a mir-- , . rored door. There are also a table and chairs, a . . i ;i 1 i n . I .1 U t m f; i' V" - ( , (C-j-v S'' 4 , , ' ' 4 ' yr X'. Fit For A King . t i The chest of drawers (above) has the same pattern repeated throughout the house. The bedstead has carved palm leaf. Each piece was made a section at a time and carved from a pattern adapted by Mr. Sisneros. The closeup (below) shows the intricacy of the carving. , - -- m- V--v ' FATHERS DAY SPECIALS ' " v. , , v , " X- - - yJ rm 1 . - 7 ' ' . -- - - Willie and Erika Sisneros Watches Tie Tack Tie Bar Money Clips Pen and Pencil Set Rings Papa Likes Diamonds Too!" The Diamond Store desk, a medicine cabinet and a complete bedroom set, all featuring the same elaborate detailed carving. The furniture is crafted from soft white pine, polished with linseed oil and varnished to a gleaming finish. Each piece is lovingly hand carved and held together by wooden pegs there are no nails. BATEMAN JEWELRY 5 North Main Viewed in its present surroundings, it is hard to imagine the beautiful furniture in a primitive setting. Today, the Sisneros home is a show place of creativity for Willie Sisneros is not the only artisan in the family. Table tops are covered by delicate crocheted cloths. The walls are hung with original paintings, and needlepoint. There are striking macrame hangings, holding plants and other art objects. The Discover for yourself why Golden Corral is the best family steak house in America! Sun.-Thur- s. 11-1- 0 Frl.&Sat. 411 No. Main 11-1- 1 elegant living sofa is covered in plush gold. Most of these created by the hands of Erika Sisneros. We have a homemade home, smiled Erika. But in the beginning, Willie Sisneros had no idea that his creations would play such a vital part in his family life or that they would be so admired. Working steadily, carving day in and day out, he had no vision of the eventual destiny of the furniture he was creating, nor did he realize that each piece would come to be valued as a work of art. k That beginning was back in 1951, when young Willie Sisneros returned to his native village following World War II. alter serving 7 years in the United States Army. He brought with him his Polish bride, Erika. It has been a somewhat traumatic journey for the young bride from the crowded metropolises of Germany, and the skyscrapers of New York City by bus to the tiny hamlet of El Rito, New Mexico. The young couple arrived on Sunday, and on Thursday the little town celebrated the coming of its first electricity. Times were hard. Work was scarce, and the young family struggled to survive. Returning veterans were offered a helping hand by the government. They could receive an unemployment stipend, or they could enroll in school under the G.l. Bill and receive a living allowance as they learned. Willie Sis- - |