Making Her Mark: Celebrating Women Artists

Every March, we observe International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. But every day, the arts—and the art world at large—are stronger, truer, and more profound thanks to the contributions of women. 

As a small way to celebrate creative women, past and present, we curated this special selection of women’s works available at the gallery.

Priscilla Hoback (1939-2018) - Cranes, stoneware mural (8 panels, 2 sections), 36 x 43 in.

Priscilla Hoback was a multimedia artist known for her ceramic murals and sculptures. Hoback’s works have an organic, almost ancient quality; each one made from clay and natural dyes she sourced from her farm in Galisteo, New Mexico. 

Sherrie McGraw - Brass, Tin & Scarlet Corn, oil, 28 x 24 in.

One of the prominent artists of our time, Sherrie McGraw is a rare talent. Known for her timeless, Rembrandtian works, McGraw is one of the few recipients of the medal for Lifetime Achievement in American Art from the Butler Institute of American Art. She also holds an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has authored several books.  

Mardie Rees - Mourning Ride, bronze and glass, 15 ½ 19 x 5 ½ in.

Based in the Pacific Northwest, Mardie Rees is a figurative sculptor whose works are found in hospitals, schools, private collections, and on permanent display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA. Rees is a two-time recipient of the Beverly Hoyt Robertson Memorial Award and a multiple award winner in Portrait Society of America’s International Competition & Exhibition. 

Gisella Loeffler (1902-1977) - Beaded Indian Dolls & Tribal Jewelry, mixed media, 11 1/4 x 11 1/2 in.

Gisella Loeffler was born in Austria, but immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri with her family as a child. She studied art at Washington University and began her career creating posters for the St. Louis Dispatch. In 1933, after seeing an exhibition by Taos artist Ernest Blumenschein—also from St. Louis—the trajectory of her life changed forever. She moved to Taos, where her unique style of folk art flourished, inspired by her Austro-Hungarian roots and local Native symbols and motifs. 

Deborah Berniklau - Horses Running Free, pen, 5 1/8 x 6 7/8 in.

Deborah Berniklau’s passion for the American West began in childhood, sketching horses with chalk on her driveway. Her parents fostered her early talent and set her on a lifelong artistic journey. 

After graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, she established a career as an illustrator, working for Disney, Warner Brothers, NASA, and more. Eventually, she returned home to New Mexico and shifted her focus to fine art, capturing the stories and spirit of the West.

Alice Schille (1969-1955) - Village, New Mexico, watercolor, 18 x 21 in.

Alice Schille was classically trained at the Columbus Art School and then the Art Students League of New York, studying under William Merritt Chase. After traveling Europe at the height of art movements like Cubism and Fauvism, Schille’s work blossomed into the loose, expressive style for which she became known.

Laura Robb - Bouquet with Brass Tea Kettle, oil on linen, 12 x 10 in.

A celebrated artist and instructor, Laura Robb creates scenes that leap off the canvas. Robb was first educated at the Art Student’s Academy in Tulsa and later studied in New York City under Michael Aviano. Over the course of her career, Robb has perfected her trademark style of vivid, stylized florals. Her technique too is impeccable, which she teaches to students who are lucky enough to attend her sought-after courses.

Cynthia Inson - Good Energy, oil, 11 x 14 in.

The serenity of Cynthia Inson’s intimate landscapes extends beyond the canvas. Her passion for life and the rugged beauty of the Southwest shines through in her playful, bold palettes and loose, impressionistic style. Inson studied Studio Arts and Art History in her undergrad and received her master’s in Anthropology and Archaeology from Wichita State University. An avid plein air painter, Inson draws inspiration from The Hudson River School and original California plein air painters. 

Gene Kloss (1903-1996) - Christmas Eve Processional - Taos, drypoint, Ed. of 50, 9 ⅞ x 13 ⅞ in.

Gene Kloss is widely known for her dramatic prints in black-and-white chiaroscuro, often depicting Southwestern landscapes and cultural traditions. Born in the Oakland area, Kloss moved to Taos after visiting the small mountain town over her honeymoon with husband and poet, Phillips Kloss. 

There, she not only found renewed inspiration—she found a burgeoning creative community that was making its mark on art history. Kloss also made her own mark, and is still renowned as a pioneer of aquatint and master printmaker.

Glenna Goodacre (1939-2020) - Pueblo Grandmother, bronze, Ed. of 25, 13 x 8 ¾ x 13 ⅜ in.

Texas-born sculptor, Glenna Goodacre, nearly became an illustrator for medical textbooks. She shied away from 3D work after a sculpting instructor’s harsh advice that she quit the medium. However, after encouragement from gallerist Forrest Fenn, Glenna gave sculpting another try with a model of her daughter, Jill. Fenn forged the first edition in what is now the gallery’s back display room, and the rest is history. 

Today, Glenna is one of America’s most notable 20th-century sculptors, known for important commissions like the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia, and the bás-relief of the Sacagawea dollar.

Betsy James - Stone Circle: The Doorway Still Faces East, watercolor & gouache/paper, 5 x 5 in.

Author, illustrator, and a professor at the University of New Mexico, Betsy James’ creates compositions that seem to come from another world, yet are nostalgic and familiar at the same time. James’ paintings are inspired by Southwestern landscapes and cultural symbols, but ultimately spring from her vivid imagination.

Henriette Wyeth (1907-1997) - Mountain Flowers, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in.

An artist with a keen sense of her own style and eye for detail, Henriette Wyeth hailed from a famous American art family. Daughter of N.C. Wyeth, sister of Andrew Wyeth and eventually wife of New Mexican artist, Peter Hurd, Henriette was raised in the art world and would make her own mark on it with stunning portraits and florals. This piece features quintessential Henriette Wyeth elements, such as the soft background and wildflowers.

Olive Rush (1873-1966) - Children’s Corner, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 in.

Olive Rush was an artist and pioneering educator who settled in Santa Fe after enjoying a career on the East coast. She also traveled the world with her friend, artist Alice Schille. The Olive Rush Historic Artist Home & Garden on Canyon Road maintains Rush’s former residence as a museum.