Spring is no slouch when it comes to art in New Mexico. Many exhibit openings show work will challenge, engage, and dazzle you. Contributor Natassja Santistevan takes us on a tour of some top tips for gallery hopping.
This solo exhibition celebrates the iconic pioneer of women in photography, Margaret Bourke-White. As a world-famous 20th-century photojournalist, White was a woman of many firsts, known for capturing the globe with her compelling political and industrial images. This exhibition features a collection of her striking black and white photographs spanning the 1930s through the 1950s.
March 27-May 3, Opening reception: March 27, Smoke The Moon
Enter the mesmerizing world of local artist Lana Scholtz, where color and shapes merge to create otherworldly works of art. Working with oil paint on canvas, Scholtz’s paintings are layered with patterns and vibrant hues, creating vivid, abstract, optical structures. Using form, each piece seeks to embrace spectacle, wonder, and play with your perception.
March 5-April 8, Student exhibit May 14-July 29, Santa Fe Community College Visual Arts Gallery
The Santa Fe Community College Visual Arts Gallery and New Mexico Potters and Clay Artists celebrate a century-old tradition with this annual clay celebration. This year’s theme embraces the ancestral and spiritual power of clay vessels. Each vessel serves as a meditation on community, home, memory, and spirit.
Long Walk to Lone Rock- Lake Powell, 2022, oil on paper, 8 x 12 inches by Patrick Kikut
April 24-May 23, Opening reception April 24, Big Happy Gallery
Patrick Kikut’s work explores the development and decline of the American West. After exploring its vast landscape for 35 years, Kikut embraces multiple mediums to showcase the vulnerability of these landscapes. He bears witness not only to the land’s enduring beauty but also to its erasure as developments come and go, with each piece ultimately portraying a promise of existence and a message of resilience.
Located inside a ‘sliver’ of the Taos Lifestyle store, Sliver 815 plays host to artist Ren Geertsen. Geertson engages your imagination with geometric abstract paper cuttings. Drawn from a 15-year body of work, these pieces balance play and order, juxtaposing monochrome surfaces with electric color and striking contrasts. Using materials ranging from magazines to envelopes, Geertsen’s energetic compositions are both dynamic and mesmerizing.
March 6-March 28, Opening reception March 6, The Groove Art Space
The Groove celebrates Mosaic Month by bringing together interpretations of peace through a diverse collection of mosaic artwork. These pieces, in all shapes and sizes, highlight the unique beauty and compelling power of this art form. Working in collaboration with the CMA2 Mosaic Conference in Albuquerque, this promises to be a show you won’t want to miss.
Al Lupovich is a Santa Fe–based artist who explores how memory can be stretched, warped, and defaced through experimental photography and installation. Using a range of collage techniques, she creates photographs that fracture and reassemble moments in time. Her work prompts viewers to break down and reconsider a single captured moment.
Story by Natassja Santistevan Featured Photo, Individuality by Ren Geertsen
We asked six of our favorite Santa Feans to join us for a day of dressing up and musing about what we wear and what it says about who we are. Hosted by Temple Santa Fe and Pfeifer Studio it was a day of Santa Fe spring fashion and personal expression.
Why Does Fashion Matter?
Getting dressed can be fickle. We’ve all had those mornings digging through the closet for the perfect look, only to give up and throw on our favorite, well-worn t-shirt instead. It’s a moment as revealing as it is humbling, and one that got us thinking about what it takes to be both stylish and authentically you. We’re not the only ones. Even the haute-couture runways seem to agree: 2026 is the year of fashion as feeling–both in a literal and metaphorical sense.
Literally: what you wear should feel good. The best fabrics are lovely against the skin, right for the weather, and hopefully made from natural fibers. The silhouette and hemline should complement your body shape without being restrictive. Long gone are the days of lacing ourselves into teeny-tiny waistlines and overly complicated pants (unless that’s your preference… you do you.)
Feel Like Yourself Again
On the metaphorical front: what you wear is reflective of who you are. Maybe you grew up on the New England coast and prefer calm blues. Perhaps you’re outdoors type and find a way to wear your Tevas with every outfit. Maybe you survived a career in corporate America and vowed never to even look at a suit jacket again. Fashion is as individual as the people who wear it, and most authentic when it aligns with the soul.
Lucky for us, Santa Feans have excelled at authenticity long before the global trend machine caught wind. For our second annual fashion shoot, we asked six talented and totally authentic locals to join us at Temple Santa Fe in the Baca Railyard: actors Tiff Abreu and Patrick Agada of The Exodus Ensemble, author Juliet Erickson, model Royce Jarvey, artist Jessie Baca, and anthropologist Adelma Aurora Hnasko.
We had one question for them, and one for you: What do you wear to make you feel most like you?
What Our Santa Feans Had to Say About Spring Fashion and Dressing for You
“I love to wear clothes where I can see that they’ve been made by human hands,” says Adelma Hnasko, anthropologist and Program Manager of the new Film & Cinematic Storytelling Department at the New Mexico School for the Arts. This idea of storytelling is one which is integral to both her work and what she wears. She favors hand-stitched pieces that bear the mark of the maker from Guatemala (where she was born), to fiesta wear from closer to home in New Mexico.
Left: Adelma wears a crocheted Alanui cardigan from Santa Fe Dry Goods, a cotton Velvet tee from WearAbouts, embroidered Driftwood jeans from Meraki Boutique with a gold Annie Hackett necklace and bracelet from Living Threads Co., brass hoops from Temple. Right: Adelma wears a cotton Cino button-down from WearAbouts and a pair of embroidered Driftwood jeans from Meraki Boutique with moonstone jewelry from Peyote Bird, her own espadrilles, and a woven basket bag from Temple.
“I think the pieces hold meaning. And to wear something that honors and remembers and celebrates where we come from and where a piece has been.” Recently she found a piece her grandfather brought back from North Africa during World War II and gave to her grandmother. She’s lovingly repairing it and one day will wear it again. “It carries stories and it carries history and places and people.”
Juliet wears a handembroidered 11.11 shirt from Living Threads, a bold cuff from Temple and a silver collar from Sukhmani Designs with her own matching silver starburst earrings.
Juliet Erickson
“If I can’t do a cartwheel in it, then I’m not going to wear it.” That’s the litmus test for Juliet Erickson, author and newly appointed board member of the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. “My whole career is on a plane. I’m on a plane. I’m in a boardroom. Then I have to do a keynote, and then dinner often in the same day. It’s a big ask, but it’s got to look as good at 8 a.m. as it does at 8 p.m.” Practical yes, but with a foundation in style and quality.
“I’ve never been let down by quality,” she says. In the 90s she gravitated to Armani and the love affair is going strong. “What doesn’t age is good materials and good styling, right?” Santa Fe, she feels, is happy to embrace her classic Armani jacket with a pair of Levi’s. “Some of the constraints and rules and regs are thrown out the window as long as it works.”
Royce wears a handmade denim Cottle jacket from Workshop with a leather and silver strap cuff from Temple.
Royce Jarvey
Montana native Royce Jarvey, Chippewa-Cree & Blackfeet, is new to Santa Fe but it’s already feeling like home. He’s a student at IAIA studying performing arts and he’s a catwalk veteran, traveling to fashion hot spots Paris and Rome and representing top designers including major names in Indigenous design. “I just like traveling to new places and getting to see the world a little more, because it allows me to do that.” Off the catwalk he does performance work including fancy dancing – one of the most popular forms of Native American dance – as well as hip hop.
Left: Royce wears a patchwork Cottle jacket from Workshop, a Rails shirt from WearAbouts, and a layer of hand-beaded necklaces made by his grandfather Mark Jarvey with his own denim and sneaks. Right: Royce wears a Freenote Cloth overshirt and oatmeal tank from Standard & Strange and indigo 11.11 joggers from Living Threads with the hand-beaded necklaces made by his grandfather, a charm bracelet from Peyote Bird and a silver cuff from Temple.
Authenticity on the catwalk or out in the world comes from confidence and a special relationship between Jarvey and the designer. “I always try to remember that I’m showcasing their work, I’m not showcasing myself. I always remember that, it just helps me when I do photo shoots or I’m modeling that it’s not me, it’s the art I’m showing.”
Patrick wears a handprinted Ekjo shirt from TOko and cotton 11.11 joggers from Living Threads with a beaver felt Horisaki Handel & Design hat, handwoven Kaval coat from Workshop and leather jewelry from Temple.
Patrick Agada
Arriving from Chicago to Santa Fe was a process – literally – of shedding layers for actor Patrick Agada. In Chicago it was about warmth and protection, from the elements but also from what could be a chilly big city vibe. Now it’s tank tops and loose shirts. “The sun is out and I just want to feel the sun on my skin.” As an actor, costumes help him create a character. Playing a shy, nerdy high school student in the Exodus Ensemble’s retelling of Cyrano De Bergerac, he donned a shirt three sizes too big for him.
Left: Patrick wears a Freenote cotton tee, Kapital overshirt and patchwork Japanese Kountry denim from Standard & Strange with his own boots and a silver cuff from Temple. Right: Patrick wears an embroidered Kapital bomber and Freenote Cloth denim from Standard & Strange with glossy 3Sixteen sunglasses from W Department.
“It swallowed me. It made me the actor, feel really small in this big shirt.” Off stage, his look has changed in recent years. “I’m at a point where I always want to be comfortable. I used to wear clothes for the aesthetics. I’m like, I don’t care if I’m uncomfortable. I just want to look cool. But the older I get and the more mature I get, I’m just like, I actually want shoes that feel good to walk in.”
Jessie wears a cotton Kantha 11.11 dress and a leather satchel from Living Threads with silver charm jewelry from Peyote Bird, and her own felted hat.
Jessie Baca
Moving from LA to Santa Fe was a welcome change for artist Jessie Baca. There it was all about Gucci sunglasses and $3,000 jeans, she says. “I remember coming here and being like – wow – you can wear your pajamas to Whole Foods and no one looks twice.” Baca feels that what we wear in Santa Fe reflects the desert. “It’s earthy,” she says. And as an artist and mother of two it’s about practicality too. “I have peanut butter on my pants most of the time. Breastfeeding? I just wore beige,” she laughs. A typical “uniform” is a paint-splattered pair of overalls or for dressing up, and something vintage. “I’m just a compulsive recycler.”
Left: Jessie wears a matching pinstripe Kowtow set from Spirit of the Earth with silver and turquoise pins, bracelets, earrings from Peyote Bird, and bandana from Temple. Right: Jessie wears a striped Rails shirt and DL1961 denim from WearAbouts with jewelry from Peyote Bird, and her own felted hat and heritage leather boots.
Style inspiration comes from her 94-year old grandmother. “I have this green sweater that she knit that I love. And some days I need a Nana hug. I’m putting on my green sweater because it’s really thick and heavy-ish and so it feels like a hug.”
Abreu wears a checkered Péro top, a floral Péro coat, Toogood jeans and yellow Daniela Gregis espadrilles from Santa Fe Dry Goods with a colorful, tasseled tote from Temple.
Tiff Abreu
Tiff Abreu—a self-confessed military brat – grew up around the world. She studied acting in Chicago and was there at the same time as fellow actor – and boyfriend – Patrick Agada but they didn’t meet until they moved to Santa Fe to join the Exodus Ensemble. Her love of fashion came from her cousin. “She would always give me her clothes that she didn’t want anymore. And I just started exploring with that.” For her, clothing is a creative outlet – an opportunity to reflect how she’s feeling from one day to the next.
Left: Tiff wears an emerald 11.11 silk dress from Living Threads with a gold Annie Hackett bracelet, necklace from Living Threads, brass hoops from Temple. Right: Tiff wears Issey Miyake Pleats Please set from W Department with Daniela Gregis espadrilles from Santa Fe Dry Goods and Annie Hackett jewelry from Living Threads.
“I remember learning this phrase, ‘look good, feel good’. And a lot of it is, if I don’t feel good then how can I make something fun for myself? How can I feel just a little bit better?” As an actor, clothes helps her become the character. “I feel like it helps you embody the character because you’re like, ‘Oh yes, I know that person would wear something like this.’”
A very special thanks to Mikel Adair for opening Temple Santa Fe, in the Baca Railyard, to cameras and clothes for a fun-filled day. And to Pfeifer Studio, homed within Temple Santa Fe, for letting us play amongst so many things of beauty.
Story and Styling by Nika Patterson Photography by Tira Howard
Bienvenidos Outreach Executive Director Susan Tarver didn’t plan to lead the non-profit that has served Santa Fe since 1989 with food, clothing, holiday gifts, and a seasonal farmers market. She spent more than 30 years in international trade and transport. In 2006, she and her late husband moved from San Francisco to Santa Fe so they could spend his final days near her parents and sister.
Susan Tarver
“Then I started volunteering as a delivery driver with Bienvenidos. I liked that the organization was focused on increasing access to fresh food,” Tarver recalls.
How Bienvenidos Outreach Lends a Hand to New Mexico
Tarver gradually increased her volunteer hours at Bienvenidos, which supports the unhoused, food-insecure, and vulnerable in the community. She also got involved with the Eldorado Farmers Market, taking it upon herself to revive it after the original market closed in 2008. When the retiring executive director suggested she replace her, Tarver did. She convinced the board to take over the market to raise funds and further boost access to fresh food. Today, market proceeds support programs like Smart Breakfasts=Smart Kids, and healthy eating initiatives for seniors, and those with medical conditions. Eldorado Farmers Market also functions as a food distribution hub, along with La Familia Medical Center.
Since assuming leadership, Tarver has overseen growth from two paid staff to six, and a budget just under $500,000. Around 50 volunteers coordinate the twice-monthly food pantry, distribute 500 food boxes weekly, and serve daily lunches to the unhoused. In 2025, Bienvenidos distributed 800 holiday gifts to 1,600 children.
Funding comes from private donors, foundations, corporations, municipalities, and the United Way. Local farmers, churches, supermarkets, and large food pantries like Food Depot supply fresh produce. Two years ago, the organization received a grant for indoor hydroponic gardens, enabling more than 400 units to be distributed to schools, agencies, and individuals.
“We ask clients for ideas on how to improve their lives. That’s why we’ve expanded from just providing food and clothing to helping people feel equal. During COVID, we added a pet food program so people wouldn’t have to give up their pets,” Tarver says. “We’re also launching blood pressure monitoring and no smoking/vaping programs, and ‘date night’ – a night out at a restaurant for those who don’t usually go out to dinner, so they can feel like everyone else. We’re not just a food pantry anymore.”
With direct flights to Dallas from both Albuquerque and Santa Fe airports, your staycation choices just got better. Dallas local Diana Oates shares an ideal itinerary for a quick trip to the Big D from a stunning stay at Hôtel Swexan to shopping spots and the best in arts and culture.
Direct Flights From New Mexico to Dallas Make for a Peaceful Staycation at Hôtel Swexan
Harwood Suite Courtesy of Hôtel Swexan
Perhaps more commonly known for its professional sports teams and great Tex-Mex, Dallas has depth and offers much more than football and queso. And like most places that promote themselves as an ideal weekend getaway, where you choose to stay absolutely matters most. Hôtel Swexan, located in the haute Harwood District, is the hottest hotel in town and is one that has fun around every corner. Despite feeling like a private members club, this property welcomes both locals and out-of-towners alike for drinks, dinner, and if you are lucky enough, a couple night’s stay to rest and recharge.
What’s the meaning behind the Hôtel Swexan name? The property was founded by a Dallas family with deep roots in both Texas and Switzerland. And what do you call someone from Switzerland that also considers themselves a true Texan? A SWEXAN, of course.
The Library Courtesy of Hôtel Swexan
How You’ll Dine at Hôtel Swexan
The shining star of this property is its food and beverage program, and it is worth scheming a plan to experience it all. Start by checking in in the afternoon and enjoying a welcome drink at Isabelle’s while you are waiting for your room to be ready. Once you have gotten into your room and are settled, get to Pomelo for an epic sunset by the rooftop pool. After some time socializing and when you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Stillwell’s for its own personal brand of beef on full display. It’s then time to head downstairs to the basement for lounge-style libations and funky beats at Babou’s.
Léonie Courtesy of Hôtel Swexan
And because the Swexan squad believes that life is all about balance, in addition to great F&B, it also offers its guests one of the most impressive gyms in Dallas. Think the latest and greatest workout equipment, wet and dry sauna, cold plunge, and a large outdoor patio for yoga and special classes. This gym will make even the most sloth-like leisure traveler want to crank out a quick sweat sesh.
Love a live show? Be sure to check The Meyerson Symphony Center and the AT&T Performing Arts Center website when you book your flight to see if a show strikes your fancy during your visit. Local favorites include Christmas performances of The Nutcracker, classical concerts by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and even off-Broadway productions of your favorite musicals.
Photo Courtesy of Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
If the weather is favorable during your visit, book tickets to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden for a stroll. There are seasonable installments year-round from 500,000 spring-blooming bulbs to playful pumpkin displays in the fall. End your East Dallas adventure by finding a spot on the patio on Smoky Rose for great barbecue and a cold, local beer.
Shopping Luxury in Dallas
Highland Park Village Photo Courtesy of Aaron Dougherty
And no stay in Dallas is complete without a luxury shopping trip. Those who prefer the ultimate in luxury brands should make it their mission to peruse Highland Park Village, which is a window-shopping wonderland including Hermès, Dior, Celine, and more. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you are perfectly primed for an al fresco lunch at the iconic Café Pacific or the see-and-be-seen patio at Honor Bar.
Photo Courtesy of Café Pacific
After purchasing the Dallas swanky souvenirs and it’s nearly time to head back home, there is only one way to put a cherry on top of the trip. By enjoying a Mambo Taxi, the signature margarita at Mi Cocina, of course! Mi Cocina is an upscale Tex-Mex restaurant with several locations, including one in Highland Park Village. The Mambo Taxi is a heady mix of Sauza silver tequila, lime juice, their own house-made sangria made with Pinot Noir wine, brandy, and fruit juices. Those that are in the know head straight up to the top floor to enjoy theirs at Monkey Bar. Cheers y’all!
Story by Diana Oates Featured Photo Courtesy of Hôtel Swexan
Founded in 2015 by husband-and-wife team Heather and Matt French, French & French Interiors is a nationally recognized interior design firm that has received national recognition for creating bold yet deeply personal design spaces. Their design ethos is firmly grounded in Santa Fe, while reflecting their Southern U.S. roots. French & French contributed to our Building Resource feature and here Heather French shares her top tips for a successful new build or renovation.
Talking Design Tips, Personal Outlooks, and Recent Trends with French & French Interiors’ Heather French
TABLE Magazine: For someone undertaking a new build or remodel for the first time, what would be your advice for first steps in the process?
Heather French: Hire the right team and hire them early. The earlier your architect, builder, and designer are aligned, the more cohesive and cost-effective the project will be. Bringing a designer in at the beginning saves time, money, and frustration because decisions are made holistically, not reactively.
Just as important: take the time to understand how you actually want to live in the space. How do you move through your mornings? Do you entertain? Do you need quiet retreat spaces? A successful project starts with lifestyle clarity, not Pinterest boards. When you understand how you want your home to function and feel, the design decisions become much more intentional.
TM: What things can help make the process go smoothly? And conversely, what are some common mistakes to avoid?
HF: Clarity and alignment make everything smoother. When the entire team understands and supports the overall vision, projects move forward with confidence instead of constant course correction.
One common mistake is starting without a clear sense of priorities. You don’t need to know every detail, but you should understand what matters most – how you want to live, what makes you feel good, and what your non-negotiables are. Another mistake is jumping too far ahead into finishes before the pre-planning decisions are resolved. The flow of the floor plan, the architecture, and the functionality should come first. If you skip those foundational steps, you’ll end up reworking decisions later.
Patience in the early stages pays off in the final result.
TM: What role can an interior designer or decorator play to help keep things on target?
HF: A good designer protects the vision. That’s part of the job!
We help translate ideas into something cohesive and buildable. We know how to communicate with architects, contractors, and artisans so that the overall vision actually makes it to the finish line. We manage budgets thoughtfully, advocate for what matters most to the client, and ensure that details aren’t lost along the way.
Designers also prevent decision fatigue. There are thousands of micro-decisions in a build or remodel. Having someone who understands the big picture, and can guide each choice accordingly, keeps the project aligned and on track.
TM: If you had to define the style ethos you bring to a project, what would it be?
HF: Our work embodies a sophisticated, deeply layered aesthetic that feels personal and intentional.
We always start with the plan and make sure the flow feels natural and the space works beautifully for the way our clients live. From there, we build outward and upward, layering in richness through pattern, color, and texture, with careful attention to materials at every step. We always incorporate antiques or custom pieces. Those bespoke elements are what give a project its soul and make it feel deeply personal rather than formulaic.
We’re not afraid of color or pattern, but we use them with restraint and purpose. The goal is harmony, not chaos. We want spaces to feel expressive yet grounded, and entirely personal to the people who call them home.
TM:As we look into 2026 and beyond, any trends you’re seeing in home design?
HF: We’re seeing a move toward moodier, more enveloping spaces. Deeper color palettes, more saturated tones, and rooms that feel intimate and cocoon-like. It’s less about bright minimalism and more about comfort.
But beyond “trends,” we’re seeing a strong shift toward individuality. Clients are more willing to define what they love and stand confidently in it. A good designer helps draw that out, guiding clients to think beyond the expected and translating their personality into something tangible within their home. It’s about knowing how to capture that unique spirit and express it in a way that feels elevated and cohesive.
As a result, we’re seeing more designers push boundaries: playing with scale in new ways, bending traditional rules, incorporating more handcrafted details and collaborating with artisans, experimenting with unexpected materials, the list goes on…
TM: What makes your work special and sets you apart?
HF: We’re designers in the Southwest that love traditional style. And we’re artists first. In the Southwest design scene, where there’s a tendency to lean into the expected, we’re not afraid to push boundaries with color, pattern, and layering.
Our work is all about balance. We aim for rich, bold design without chaos and overwhelm. Every project should feel grounded and secure for the people living in it.
Marisa Saavedra-Gutierrez is Principal Interior Designer at Spatial Harmony. She earned a degree in Interior Design and a certificate in Kitchen and Bath Design. She is the recipient of the 2022 Fall Homes of Enchantment “Best Interior Decorating” award and served as past President board member of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) New Mexico Chapter. Marisa contributed to our Building Resource feature and here shares her top tips for a successful new build or renovation.
Spatial Harmony’s Marisa Saavedra-Gutierrez on Remodeling Your Home, Style Trends, and More
TABLE Magazine: For someone undertaking a new build or remodel for the first time, what would be your advice for first steps in the process?
Marisa Saavedra-Gutierrez: The first step is clarity. Before selecting finishes or layouts, homeowners should define how they truly live in their space — their routines, priorities, and long-term needs.
From a practical standpoint, assembling the right team early is essential. That means engaging a designer, contractor, and architect (if applicable) before decisions are made in isolation. Many costly mistakes happen when selections are made without considering the overall vision, budget, or construction realities.
A thoughtful planning phase will always save time, money, and stress later in the process.
TM: What things can help make the process go smoothly? And conversely, what are some common mistakes to avoid?
MSG: Clear communication and realistic timelines make the greatest difference. Remodels and new builds are layered projects, and decisions are interconnected. When selections are made in a coordinated, organized way, the process runs far more efficiently.
Common mistakes include:
Making rushed decisions under pressure
Changing direction mid-project
Underestimating lead times for materials and furnishings
Focusing solely on aesthetics instead of functionality
Another major oversight is not establishing a cohesive design plan from the beginning. Without a roadmap, projects often feel disjointed and more expensive in the long run.
TM: What role can an interior designer or decorator play to help keep things on target?
An interior designer serves as both a creative director and a project guide. We ensure that every selection — from cabinetry to lighting to furnishings — aligns with the overall vision, budget, and architectural intent.
Beyond aesthetics, a designer helps:
Prevent costly design mistakes
Coordinate with contractors and vendors
Manage timelines and procurement
Maintain design cohesion across all spaces
In essence, we translate ideas into a structured, executable plan while keeping the client’s goals at the center of every decision.
TM: If you had to define the style ethos you bring to a project, what would it be?
MSG: I would describe my style ethos as refined, livable, and regionally grounded.
As a New Mexican designer, I draw inspiration from our landscape, heritage architecture, and natural color palettes, while blending them with timeless and functional design principles. My goal is never to impose a trend, but to create spaces that feel authentic to the client and harmonious with the home’s architecture.
Each project is curated to feel layered, intentional, and enduring rather than temporary or trend-driven.
TM: As we look into 2026 and beyond, any trends you’re seeing in home design?
MSG: We are seeing a strong shift toward intentional living and long-term functionality. Clients are investing more in quality materials, energy efficiency, and spaces that support daily wellness.
Key trends include:
Warmer, nature-inspired color palettes
Textural materials such as plaster, wood, and stone
Integrated smart home and motorized window treatments
Multi-functional spaces that adapt to modern lifestyles
A return to craftsmanship and locally inspired design elements
Rather than fast trends, homeowners are prioritizing timelessness and personalization.
TM: What makes your work special and sets you apart?
MSG: What sets my work apart is the level of personalization and full-service guidance I provide from concept to completion. I do not approach projects as isolated design moments, but as comprehensive transformations that consider architecture, functionality, and the client’s lifestyle.
Through my studio, Spatial Harmony Interiors, I offer a highly curated and hands-on process — from space planning and material selections to furnishings and custom window treatments — ensuring a cohesive and elevated result.
Additionally, my deep roots in New Mexico influence my design perspective. I value heritage, craftsmanship, and a sense of place, which allows me to create spaces that feel both timeless and uniquely meaningful to my clients.
In New Mexico, weddings don’t whisper — they echo across open mesas, glow in cinematic sunsets and stretch long into star-filled nights. At Blame Her Ranch, the celebration isn’t just a ceremony. It’s an immersive, storybook weekend set against 2,000 private acres of rugged, Western beauty — where luxury meets wide-open freedom.
Award-Winning Wedding Venue in New Mexico, Blame Her Ranch
Blame Her Ranch has earned its place among the most sought-after wedding destinations in the Southwest — and for good reason. Recognized as an award-winning wedding venue in New Mexico, it delivers that rare combination of exclusivity, scale and intimacy.
Here, couples trade banquet halls for sweeping high-desert vistas. The light is softer, the skies are bigger and the experience feels cinematic — because it quite literally has been. What sets it apart isn’t just beauty — it’s possibility.
A Choice of 4 Unique Venues
At Blame Her Ranch, one wedding doesn’t mean one backdrop. Couples can choose from four distinct venue settings across the property, each with its own personality and mood.
Think expansive outdoor ceremony sites framed by mesas and sky. A Western-chic barn that feels equal parts refined and relaxed. Covered pavilions that glow under café lights. Intimate indoor spaces perfect for welcome dinners or late-night gatherings.
The result? A wedding that unfolds in chapters — ceremony here, cocktails there, dancing somewhere entirely new.
Sleep Up to 66 Lodgers for the Whole Weekend
This isn’t a “see you at the hotel” situation.
Blame Her Ranch sleeps up to 66 guests on property, transforming your wedding into a true weekend retreat. Bridal parties, family and closest friends stay together — morning coffee on the porch, late-night storytelling under the stars, spontaneous champagne toasts in between.
The ranch becomes your private world for the weekend. No commuting. No logistics. Just shared time and uninterrupted celebration.
Less Than 60 Minutes Away from Santa Fe
While it feels remote in the most romantic way, Blame Her Ranch is located less than 60 minutes from Santa Fe.
That means easy airport access, rehearsal dinners in town, art-gallery detours and guest-friendly travel logistics — all while maintaining the privacy and drama of a destination ranch wedding.
It’s the best of both worlds: Santa Fe sophistication meets wide-open Western freedom.
No Vendor Restrictions; Everything from Black Tie to BBQ or a Food Truck
Some venues hand you a preferred vendor list. Blame Her Ranch hands you the keys.
There are no vendor restrictions — which means you can curate your dream team. A formal black-tie plated dinner beneath chandeliers? A long-table feast with local chefs? A smoked brisket station and craft beer? A late-night taco truck rolling in at midnight?
It’s your story. The ranch simply gives you the stage.
No Time Restrictions; Party Till 4AM!
If you’ve ever been told “last call” at 10:30 p.m., you know the heartbreak.
At Blame Her Ranch, there are no time restrictions. Want to dance until 4 a.m.? Do it. Keep the DJ spinning. Light the bonfires. Transition from champagne to espresso martinis. Watch the sky shift from velvet black to dawn pink.
This is your night — unhurried, uncut, unforgettable.
Famous Location for Ransom Canyon and Longmire
If the landscape feels like a film set, that’s because it is.
Blame Her Ranch has served as a filming location for productions including Ransom Canyon and the beloved Western drama Longmire. The terrain — dramatic cliffs, sweeping plains, untamed horizon lines — reads like cinema in real life.
And on your wedding weekend, you become the stars.
The TABLE Take
Blame Her Ranch isn’t just a venue. It’s an atmosphere. A mood. A full-sensory experience that unfolds over days, not hours.
It’s for couples who want more than a wedding — they want a Western love story, told under endless sky, surrounded by their people, with no clock watching.
In New Mexico, that kind of freedom feels right at home.
Enoki, oyster, morels, hen of the woods, and chanterelles are mushrooms you can find during the spring season. Each one of these miraculous treats of nature provides a different flavor, texture, and umami profile to every recipe they combine into. While it may be easiest to run to the grocery store and grab the first white mushrooms you see, we recommend exploring what this unique world of fungi has to offer. Maybe you’ll use a handful of different wild mushrooms for your stock or you’ll hone in on a specific type to fill a taco shell. (Use a reputable guide to help with species identification.) No matter your choice, you’ll find comfort in enjoying all Mother Earth provides.
Though we’re heading out of winter soup season, a mushroom stock is great to save for cooking beef, casseroles, and so much more. The key to this recipe is using a variety of mushrooms available year-round and in spring like button, crimini, oyster, and shiitake.
Mushroom caps full of a spinach mixture featuring plenty of seasonings, cream cheese, garlic, shallot, and a dash of hot sauce. These little decadent treats only get more delicious when you top them with seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, or crumbled bacon.
Morel, hen of the woods, and brick cap mushrooms are all spring varieties that have their moment for but a season before going away. Take advantage of their unique nuances with a bowl full of Cheesy Grits that also incorporates chive and thyme blossoms on top.
Little bundles of enoki or seafood mushrooms are best found in cooler weather whenever it’s the early days of spring. We’re frying these crispy mushrooms and wrapping them with a piece of nori before dipping them into a homemade spicy siracha mayonnaise.
Whenever it comes to cooking with mushrooms, its best to let these gems shine. Our Buttered Mushroom Tartine showcases button mushrooms at their best with a blend of pistachio pesto, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, as well as fontina cheese all on a slice of lightly toasted bread.
Vegetarian tacos don’t have to rely on cauliflower or tofu. Instead, let your favorite variety of spring mushrooms take over and layer on pico de gallo as well as a creamy chipolte sauce. Then, finish with whatever else your heart desires and a squeeze of lime over top of it all.
Looking for a luxurious way to upgrade chanterelle mushrooms? A rabbit confit provides the perfect base for buttery mushrooms and a savory eggplant compote. We even give you a step-by-step process for assembling your dinner plates. Go the extra mile by garnishing the dish with wild watercress or wild arugula.
The vibe at Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery is always inviting, especially based on our visit to this pottery pub. But add innovative cuisine that blends Pueblo influences with international flavors—each course paired with Tumbleroot’s brews and craft cocktails—and the experience becomes enchanting.
A Seat at the Tumbleroot Table in Santa Fe
Tumbleroot Table takes place at their Santa Fe venue which previously held Club Alegría. This celebration of local food, drink, and craft was created by husband-and-wife co-founders and owners Jason and Angela Kirkman, who also own Paseo Pottery.
Butternut Squash Soup
“From the very beginning of Tumbleroot, which we founded in 2018, our inspiration was to explore broadly and root deeply,” says Angela Kirkman. “We’ve traveled internationally together since we met. Our goal was to bring what we’ve fallen in love with, not just to the drinks but to the food.”
For Tumbleroot Table, the Kirkmans partnered with Chef Rainbird Taylor, who grew up in Ohkay-Owingeh Pueblo and Santa Fe.
Taylor’s menu has included everything from a reimagined Japanese bao buns with Cuban mojo pork to gorditas, a popular Mexican street food, filled with Korean mushrooms – all served on handmade ceramics by Paseo Pottery.
Korean Mushroom Gorditas
Kirkman believes they feed diners in many ways. “I hope guests appreciate the elemental nature of what we’re doing, making everything from scratch. For me it’s a spiritual practice— making pottery, knowing that this bowl is going to feed someone and give people joy. The food and drink will be gone but the bowl will remain.”
Read more about an average experience at Tumbleroot here!
Shaving asparagus super thin is a great way to enjoy it raw. This Shaved Asparagus Salad is especially gorgeous when you can find green and purple spears. Add white ones too, if you find them. Lemon contributes brightness, and rustic croutons and almonds both add texture. If you’d like, feta crumbles could be scattered over it too. A buttery, nutty, full-bodied Meursault would pair well here. Its notable palate presence will stand up to the vinaigrette as well as to the earthy crunch of raw asparagus.
4 to 6 oz ciabatta or peasant bread, torn in bite size pieces
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
Zest of 1 lemon with 2 tbsp juice
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
For the asparagus:
2 lb fat asparagus
Handful or 2 of arugula leaves
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet
Instructions
For the croutons:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the bread pieces with the oil and arrange on a small baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown and crunchy. Let cool on the baking sheet.
For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:
Combine the vinegar and shallot in a small bowl. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, for the shallot’s flavor to mellow a bit.
Stir in the mustard. Whisk in the oil in a steady stream, then add one-half of the lemon zest (reserve the rest to garnish the salad) and the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
For the asparagus:
Snap or cut off the woody stems. Run a vegetable peeler the length of each spear, making as many shavings as possible.
Pile up the asparagus shavings neatly on a platter or individual plates. Tuck a few arugula leaves around the edges.
Drizzle with about two-thirds of the dressing. Scatter with almonds, remaining lemon zest, and croutons.
Serve right away with additional dressing, if you wish.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison Styling by Keith Recker Preparation by Jackie Page Photography by Dave Bryce
