You might need to build a new addition just to house
the Adobe Journal. The 11 by 14 inch quarterly from Albuquerque,
N.M., allows ample room for black and white photos of adobe
innovations, from castles with stained glass and arches, to
“earthships” of tires and cans that house indoor gardens. Published
by the non-profit group Friends of Adobe, the journal promotes
earthen construction as a way to conserve timber, preserve folk art
and provide affordable shelter. Founding editor Michael Moquin
combines a degree in anthropology with 15 years of work as a
preservation craftsman. In past issues Moquin has focused on people
such as the well known Taos enjarradora (plasterer) Anita
Rodriguez, and Ed Paschich, who builds Timber Reduced Energy
Efficient (TREE) homes. Along with many ads for furniture-makers
and brick-layers, the journal has advice on everything from rammed
earth construction to building a small house in 24 hours.
Subscriptions cost $15 per year. For information write the Adobe
Journal, P.O. Box 7725, Albuquerque, NM 87194
(505/243-7801).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Elevating mud to art.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
