You can make a difference at any age, and 13-year-old beading artist Nolen Roibal is proving it by turning a skill he learned in a summer program into a business offering earrings, bracelets and dream catchers, KOB 4 reports.
Roibal discovered beading about three and a half years ago through an APS Native education summer program. He started with friendship bracelets and soon expanded into earrings, bracelets and dream catchers, and he now sells his pieces, creates gifts and showcases his work at craft shows. "No matter how young you are, you can always discover something," he told KOB 4, adding that such a discovery can change your life.
Roibal is the youngest beading artist selling his work at Pueblo Collective Enterprise, a Native woman-owned storefront in Bernalillo that features handmade work from artists in New Mexico’s pueblos. Artists take part in running the store, share the stories behind their work with customers and keep 100% of their asking price. Owner Stephanie Garcia said the brick-and-mortar location gives customers a chance to learn the history and traditions of each pueblo, and KOB 4 reports the store connects customers directly with the artists.
Elana Olivas, a full-time nurse and seamstress from Zuni Pueblo, said the store gives artists a space to share skills and learn from one another, and gives children a place to take their first steps as artists. She said it also makes traditional items such as jewelry, moccasins and clothing sewn on-site more accessible to Native Americans across the area.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from KOB 4’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit KOB 4’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
