Ellen Gonzales is an Arizona based artist whose work celebrates the beauty, spirit, and symbolism of the natural world. Through expressive paintings inspired by birds, wildlife, florals, and Southwestern landscapes, she creates imagery that reflects a deep connection to nature and the emotional experiences it evokes. Ellen and her work were recognized as one of the Spotlight recipients for Art Santa Fe 2026. Art Business News was interested in knowing more about this first-time Art Santa Fe exhibitor.

Art Business News: Introduce yourself — who you are and your vision as an artist.

Ellen Gonzales: I’m Ellen Gonzales, the artist behind White Bird Fine Art. I am a faith-based artist; even though my paintings aren’t directly representational, faith is the foundation and heart behind the work. My hope is that my work is felt that it brings hope, light and healing. I like to play when I create so I use a lot of mark making, inks, spray paint, collage, and acrylics in the underpainting then pull it all together and finish it with oils. I love my process and the layers it encompasses.

ABN: What is your background?

EG: I have always loved the arts and creating. I took a few art classes in high school and college, but I did not pursue art as a career until 2020. Even then, I only took it on full-time in the last four years, which coincided with my decision to homeschool my two teens. I wanted to grow and refresh my technique, as I had a lot of vision but lacked confidence in the execution. So, I signed up for the Mastery Program at the Milan Art Institute, where I built the technical foundation, my work stands on now.

ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

EG: My philosophy is that we are all created for a purpose. No matter our history or circumstance, we can grow and bloom. I paint mostly florals because they can convey so much. What’s funny is my mom decorated all of our homes in florals (stenciling them on most walls) and I swore I would never have florals in my house. Now it’s the majority of what I paint… interesting. I love that painting can say so much without using any words. My hope is that when someone walks up to my paintings, they feel something: hope, love, encouragement, or a sense of joy. That they would experience them and then of course take it home.

I write scriptures, words of encouragement, or positive quotes into the ground of the canvas. Sometimes I collage old hymns, or different textures. Then gold leaf. The oil goes on top of all of it. You can’t see most of it in the finished piece. That’s the point. The words are still there, holding the surface up. What’s buried is still bearing weight.

ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?

EG: I love the work of Dimitra and Elli Milan, Vanessa Horabuena, and Kim Black’s gorgeous florals; I admire many artists. If we are talking about the old masters Monet is probably my favorite.

ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?

EG: Paint every day whether you feel like it or not.

ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?

EG: Probably having a movie night with my husband, two kids and four dogs all snuggled on the couch together. Yes, my teens still snuggle with me. I also enjoy reading and playing guitar. I love leading women’s Bible studies; I have a heart for women knowing who they are in Christ (which is the heart of my She Is Collection).

ABN: What did exhibiting at Art Santa Fe 2026 mean to you?

EG: It’s a big step for me. It’s investing in myself and what I believe to be true. I spend my days painting about dry seasons not being dead seasons, hope in the waiting and being met in the middle of a season nobody else notices. To be chosen for this especially out of the field, into the Spotlight is that same truth landing in my own life. I don’t take it lightly. Santa Fe is one of the “serious rooms” in this country for original work.  It’s a threshold. I’m walking through it grateful, and ready.

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To learn more about Ellen Gonzales and White Bird Fine Art, please visit:

Website: http://www.whitebirddesignco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitebirdfineart

Olga Lavrova was selected by Art Santa Fe’s curatorial team as one of this year’s Spotlight recipients. Art Business News was intrigued and wanted to know more about this contemporary artist whose work is inspired by the beauty of nature, the emotional power of color, and the timeless connection between people and their environment. Originally trained in classical artistic techniques, Lavrova has developed a distinctive visual style that blends technical precision with expressive creativity.

Art Business News: Introduce yourself — who you are and what your vision as an artist is?

Olga Lavrova: I guess I think of myself as an observer of life, fascinated by everything around me. I am more attracted to things of a quiet, pensive nature. As an artist I want to highlight the intricacy and poignancy of feelings in quiet moments that are often missed in the fast-paced, overwhelming reality of modern day. I feel that through appreciating the depth and preciousness of seemingly routine and simple things, whether they concern people or nature, we become more compassionate and more humane. My goal as an artist is to inspire my viewers to pause, reflect, think and connect with these feelings.

ABN: What is your background? 

OL: I was born in Moscow, Russia, and my family moved to California when I was in my early teens. I had a conventional upbringing, focused strongly on good education, and I did not allow myself to step away from that path until later in life. After getting my degree in Mathematics/Economics, I built a solid career in audit and compliance. At some point I went back to Moscow for several years and that’s when I started taking painting lessons with an artist whose work I admired. After some time, painting consumed me and I felt that I found my true purpose. In the summer of 2021, I came back to California and decided to focus full time on my art. Since then, I have exhibited at shows mostly in Southern California and was once selected by the city of Encinitas Visual Arts Program curators to hold a two month-long exhibit at the City Hall. Since I was not always an artist, there’s still a part of me that’s in disbelief when my work gets high praise and recognition, and I am so grateful for all the support I receive that keeps me motivated.

ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

OL: I only paint once I become obsessed with a certain idea and the feeling builds up. For me, depth and intensity of emotion when working on a piece is essential to creating something worthy. At the same time, I dislike grandiose, loud, direct images and I spend a lot of time developing the right way to say what I want to say in a quiet, subtle way. In my paintings, the atmosphere, the feeling, is first and foremost, so I have to really channel that into my work. Because of this, my work is very susceptible to changes in my emotional state. Sometimes I can go up to a couple of months without painting anything and then go on a spree and paint a lot in a very short period. It can be a real nuisance, especially if I have a show coming up soon and want to bring new work, but I just can’t force it.

ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?

OL: I can’t really say that there are any particular ones that inspire me. I just do my own thing the way I feel it. In my work I am more inspired by people, nature, and events. I do admire a lot of artists though – old masters, as well as contemporary. I (embarrassingly) just recently, discovered Caspar David Friedrich and was stunned by how much his work resonated with me. I also love discovering new favorites at art shows I go to and am a proud owner of several pieces by fellow artists. My current obsession is Gia Chikvaidze – his work just transports you to another world.

ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?

OL: I can’t really say that there are any particular ones that inspire me. I just do my own thing the way I feel it. In my work I am more inspired by people, nature, and events. I do admire a lot of artists though – old masters, as well as contemporary. I (embarrassingly) just recently, discovered Caspar David Friedrich and was stunned by how much his work resonated with me. I also love discovering new favorites at art shows I go to and am a proud owner of several pieces by fellow artists. My current obsession is Gia Chikvaidze – his work just transports you to another world.

ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?

OL: Don’t dwell on failed pieces. Forget it and move on. Even the best artists can’t create a masterpiece every time. (Is it actually true? I still kinda suspect they can..)

ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?

OL: On the road across the states, in my yard watching birds, lizards and whatever else makes its way in, or on a couch with my family, dog, book, wine, playing video games, etc.

ABN: What did exhibiting at Art Santa Fe 2026 mean to you?

OL: A lot! Testing new waters, meeting people, expanding my presence, gaining more visibility. This was my first time at Art Santa Fe, but I loved all the other ones I’ve been to in the series, so I am very excited to add a new one to the list.

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To learn more about Olga Lavrova, please visit:

Website: https://olga-lavrova.square.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Olga_Lavrova_Art

Santa Fe Opera
https://www.santafeopera.org/
July 3 – August 29, 2026
The 69th Festival Season features 38 performances of three new productions, a beloved Santa Fe Opera revival, and the remount of an award-winning international production, each in harmony with the company’s time-tested programming model of a balanced and varied repertory of new, lesser-performed and standard works. The Santa Fe Opera annually draws 85,000 people from New Mexico and around the globe. Nestled atop a mountain vista, the company’s iconic Crosby Theatre is open on three sides, allowing visitors to enjoy performances complemented by the elements.

Art Santa Fe

https://redwoodartgroup.com/art-santa-fe
July 11 – 13, 2025

IFAM

https://folkartmarket.org/
July 10-13, 2025

IFAM 2025 featured  approximately 150 master folk artists and cooperatives from 57 countries. Artists achieved $3.88 million in sales, setting an organizational record and underscoring the market’s global economic impact. The market feels like a fun art party and has something for everyone.
IFAM 2025 was a powerful celebration of global folk art—blending cultural exchange, economic empowerment, and creative education in a festive, inclusive atmosphere. With immersive programming and significant sales success, it underscored the potential of folk art markets to transcend commerce and foster connection.

SITE Santa Fe

https://www.sitesantafe.org/en/
https://www.sitesantafe.org/en/once-within-a-time/
Once Within a Time
June 27, 2025 – January 12, 2026
 
Once Within a Time is a meandering narrative collage that reimagines Santa Fe as both artifact and stage—a living archive of stories, mythologies, and artistic interventions. Whether discovered within the SITE building or in unexpected local storefronts, each stop offers a glimpse into how personal histories loop into collective memory.
The exhibition foregrounds storytelling—both oral and visual—by pairing contemporary artworks with historical or fictional characters connected to Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. Many commissions are site-specific, activating the distinctiveness of each venue with immersive installations and narrative encounters

Museum of New Mexico Foundation

Vladem
https://www.museumfoundation.org/

Timeless Mucha: The Magic of Line
June 20, 2025 – September 21, 2025
Timeless Mucha: The Magic of Line is a beautifully curated, historically rich retrospective celebrating Mucha not only as an emblem of Art Nouveau, but also as a pioneer in mass‑visual communication. The exhibition’s layout bridges early works and global legacy, making it both informative and immersive. If you can’t make it to Santa Fe, its next stop will be  Nelson‑Atkins Museum, Kansas City (April–August 2026).

Organized by the Mucha Foundation, this ambitious show features over 100 works from the Mucha Trust Collection, highlighting Alphonse Mucha’s development—from student drawings and book illustrations to his iconic posters and designs that created the Art Nouveau movement.

And in a fun twist it also explores the 1960s–70s revival of his aesthetic, showing its influence on psychedelic rock posters (e.g., Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones), comic books, and Japanese manga.

Museum of New Mexico Foundation

https://www.museumfoundation.org/
Eugenie Shonnard: Breaking the Mold

March 8 – September 1, 2025
“Eugenie Shonnard: Breaking the Mold” marks the inaugural posthumous exhibition of Eugenie Shonnard (1886–1978), a pioneering woman sculptor whose career carved a place for itself in American Modernism—especially within the artistic landscape of the Southwest

Breaking the Mold is a compelling and deeply research-driven exhibition that reclaims Eugenie Shonnard’s place in American art history—especially within the Southwest. It reveals her convergence of European Modernist training with local iconography and forms, and showcases her inventive spirit through material innovation and formal sensitivity.

Georgia O’Keefe Museum

https://www.okeeffemuseum.org/
A Circle Nothing Can Break
November 11, 2024 – March 1, 2026
This exhibition begins with a quote from a letter to her future husband Alfred Stieglitz, with Georgia comparing their relationship to “a circle that nothing can break”.  This quote shows the importance of one of O’Keeffe’s most evocative motifs—the circle. It surveys key moments in her career when circular shapes and spirals emerge in her abstractions—first in the formative 1910s, and again in her late-period work during the 1970s, after a long hiatus from such themes.

The show features early works created under Alfred Stieglitz’s influence in New York and those from later challenging periods—including post-Stieglitz grief and her late creative revival—offering emotional and formal continuity through this simple but expressive geometric form

Santa Fe Art Week

Santa Fe Art Week, held each July, is a 10-day celebration of the city’s rich creative spirit. Kicking off with Art Santa Fe and the International Folk Art Market, the week features gallery openings, artist talks, studio tours, workshops, and special events across 250+ galleries. Art Week Walks, Talks, and Workshops fill the calendar with unprecedented access to art and artists. It’s an inspiring time when art takes center stage in one of the most vibrant art cities in the world.

Art Santa Fe – 25th Anniversary

Get Free Tickets Here.

IFAM

SFGA

Santa Fe Opera

https://www.santafeopera.org/
June 27 – August 23, 2025

The 68th Festival Season features 38 performances of three new productions, a beloved Santa Fe Opera revival, and the remount of an award-winning international production, each in harmony with the company’s time-tested programming model of a balanced and varied repertory of new, lesser-performed and standard works. The Santa Fe Opera annually draws 85,000 people from New Mexico and around the globe. Nestled atop a mountain vista, the company’s iconic Crosby Theatre is open on three sides, allowing visitors to enjoy performances complemented by the elements.

SITE Santa Fe – 30th Anniversary

Georgia O’Keefe Museum

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum comprises intentionally curated galleries to guide visitors through the inspiring and bold world of Georgia O’Keeffe. Follow the galleries through O’Keeffe’s early work as a student and teacher, groundbreaking paintings from her time living on the East Coast and her artistic revelations from her time in New Mexico.

Museum of New Mexico Foundation

March 8 – September 1, 2025

Eugenie Shonnard: Breaking the Mold is the first posthumous major exhibition of the acclaimed sculptor. Shonnard was a pivotal figure for the history of art and sculpture in the Southwest, widely recognized during her own time for her contributions to the visual arts, yet largely overlooked in recent decades. This exhibition, with an accompanying publication, seeks to reintroduce Shonnard to a new generation of art enthusiasts. In a time period in which few women excelled in sculpture, Shonnard defied expectations and carved out a space for herself as a formidable presence in the American Southwest.

We first met artist Rebecca Fairfax at Art Santa Fe in 2024 and were intrigued with her expressive use of oil and cold wax to create each of her works of art. We wanted to know more about this artist and how this interesting medium became her choice. Let’s see what she has to say.

ABN: Introduce yourself — who you are and what is your vision as an artist is?

RF: I am an intuitive, abstract, realist and expressionist artist. A bit of a mouthful, I know, but each one describes my particular mix of abstract techniques with recognizable forms and my focus on expressing some small yet universal aspect of our complex human experience.

Only with oil and cold wax medium can I create so many multiple layers of contrasting thicknesses and colors – cool and warm, dark and light, opaque and transparent – that express energy, thought, mood and emotion. I seek to explore the interplay between the physical and metaphysical, where figures emerge and recede from and into the background and foreground, often as in a dream. I invite the viewer to enjoy the subtle yet often playful, quirky and whimsical narratives as well as the deeper meanings in each painting.

ABN: What is your background?

RF: I grew up in suburban Boston surrounded by the bold colors and textures of my mother’s finely crafted quilts and hooked rugs – she often exhibited them in local shows and even museums.

Still, my first career was as a public radio reporter and TV scriptwriter, magazine and newspaper journalist and children’s book author, all while supporting my daughter as a single mother. Working mostly freelance, I was able to live, work and extensively travel abroad — from Europe to Asia and South America. I also speak fluent French, good Spanish and some German and Russian. During those fascinating years, I wrote on pretty much everything — from Art to the Zuni.

In time, though, with a desire to express myself through the visual arts, I traded in my keyboard for a palette and canvas, experimenting with acrylic and oil until I discovered the challenges, delights and power of oil and cold wax.

ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

RF: As with my writing career, I’m a bit of a workaholic – the creative process is so rich and exciting that it rarely sleeps, and I try to keep up with it. Time in my home studio opens new worlds every day – I can hardly wait to see what awaits. Paintings call from every easel and on my worktable, letting me know what they want to become. It’s a collaboration – I listen to the paint and cold wax, and we work together to bring images, ideas, and stories to life.

Each piece takes weeks or longer to complete – from the initial layers of gesso through the drying or semi-drying of each layer to the drawing of each image and excavating into the paint to the final application of stain on the sanded canvas cradles. There is always so much to do in preparing my work for shows and collectors.

ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?

RF: So many inspire me – from the early cave people to the latest wave of creatives seeking new modes of visual expression with digital art. That said, I have been most influenced by Renaissance figure drawings, and the colors, textures and creative courage of Manet, Van Gogh, Sargent, Turner, Toulouse-Lautrec, Whistler and so many others – I’m both a traditionalist and modernist in this 21^st century.

Outside of the visual arts, my great inspirations have been the mother of modern dance, Isadora Duncan, the avant-garde filmmaker, Maya Deren, the inimitable Bob Dylan and so many of the great early rock ‘n roll songwriters/poets. I often find ways to incorporate their images and vision into my work.

ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?

RF: Stay true to your vision. This can be so challenging for so many artists as they work to find and maintain their unique style and voice. There are many ups and downs that come with following one’s own creative journey, and while we should always be open to new ideas and influences, we must primarily remain true to our creative self.

ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?

RF: Taking a daily morning walk with my husband in our rural Santa Fe neighborhood; enjoying time with friends and other artists; attending concerts, gallery and museum openings; and traveling to the ocean, the only thing missing in our beautiful New Mexico landscape. Having spent my summers on Cape Cod, I always long for the sound of waves while walking on a beach.

ABN: Any plans for 2025? Where will your creativity take you? I

RF: This year, after a long, wonderful winter of hibernating and painting in my studio, I will be unveiling and exhibiting a new series, “Emerging and Receding,” at both the Santa Fe Studio Tour during the last two weekends of June, and Art Santa Fe in mid-July.

This is a huge and exciting step forward in my artistic evolution; I’ll have up to 25 paintings that bring together all that I have been working toward since embarking on my artistic journey. While I will be showing all of those works during the Studio Tour, a small selection will be available during Art Santa Fe. And my next step is gallery representation – stay tuned!

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Learn more about Rebecca at https://rebeccafairfax.com

And see her at Art Santa Fe, July 11-13, in Booth 300.