Yucca Art Gallery
Guest Artists
Denise Elvrum - Fused Glass Artist
 Denise Elvrum |  20240425_175650 |  Elvrum_pst2025_1 |
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 Elvrum _pst2025_2 |  IMG_20240613_215411_784 |
Inspired by her love of nature and color, Denise builds on previous work by incorporating new techniques to push her designs. She loves to explore the “what-ifs” when working with glass. Extensive cold-working ensures a lovely finish to each piece.
She has been a fused glass artist for about 20 years.
Deb Kinney - Pyrographer
 Deb KinneyPyrographer |  Kinney pyrography |  Kinney Hat pyrography |
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 Kinney Zia |  Kinney Pyrography turtle |
Hello my name is Deb Kinney.
I was born and raised in Minnesota, and I am the youngest of three children. Even from an early age, I was always interested in various forms of art. In school, I took as many art classes as possible. After finishing high school, I attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Here, I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Commercial Arts, followed by an Associate of Fine Arts degree.
I am the very proud mother of three children and their spouses, and the grandmother of three boys, with two standard poodles completing the family.
When I was eight years old, I discovered my brother's wood-burning kit; I was hooked. From that day on, I burned on many things, though mostly wood. For a while, I had abandoned burning, returning to it later in life. These days we call it pyrography, the freehand art of decorating wood and other materials with a burning tool. Now, this art form has taken on many diverse new objects to burn. I work with many unique materials to create my special form of art, primarily with wood, but also leather, hats, wool, felt, jeans, and paper. After I burn on a piece, I often use watercolor, colored pencils, ink, and acrylics to enhance the design and add color. My passion also includes carving and tooling leather.
Thank you for taking the time to view my artwork and our beautiful Yucca Art Gallery.
Karen Rivera - Soft Sculpture
 Karen Rivera |  Frida |  Raccoon Queen of Time |
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 Cat Fish |  Raven Queen |  Fox Quartet |
 Unicorn |  Owl Eyes |
Karen Rivera’s artworks co-exist in the whimsical alternate reality where Victorian style meets power tools. Working in a 1941 adobe studio on the Rio Grande with her faithful dogs Connor and Pi, she stitches custom hats, dolls and creates Steampunk gear to inspire life’s greatest adventures.
Her works have their hearts in surrealism and their skeletons wrapped in silks, velvets and vintage embellishments. Her extensive palette of threads dance across her designs. Silk get tie-dyed before becoming unicorns, tuxedo cats or tutu wearing ravens. She looks for challenges in materials and construction and incorporates extensive hand sewing along with elements like sterling silver, copper and
machine parts. She shamelessly admits to an addiction to disassembling cuckoo clocks and vintage watches.
Karen has always been fascinated with playing with velvet, silk and pearl buttons. Her grandmother made a living braiding rugs and stitching quilts. Karen joined her at age 4.
Proving to be nimble with a needle she eventually sold her couture designs in galleries on Canyon Road and Seattle for 3 decades. Karen’s dolls include well-dressed dancing ravens, time traveling frogs, tribal deities, fantastic felines, famous women and mythical creatures.
KDRivera.com
Facebook: riveranewmexico
Instagram: kdrivera
Stan Ford - Photography
 Zapata Falls |  Sunrise |  Night sky |
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 Caldera |  Owl |  Balloon Fiesta |
 Winter Train |
​Stan Ford is an award-winning nature photographer specializing in landscapes and wildlife. He has earned first place awards in numerous international photography contests and his photographs have been included in multiple shows, exhibitions and publications. In 2016, he served the National Park Service as the “first-ever” Artist-in-Residence at Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico and currently teaches workshops at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Nature photography and sharing his work has become his raison d'être.
Clever D. Garcia - Acrylic Painting
Clever Garcia
 Clever Garcia |  |  |
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Clever D Garcia, aka Than Ta, meaning Painted Sun in the Northern New Mexico Tewa language. Born to the late Gordon I Garcia, and Angela J Vigil. Clever’s father originates from Ohkay Owingeh and his mother from Tesuque Pueblo. Born into the arts at an early age, Clever Garcia started finger painting and watercolors in his early education. Being drawn to mechanical pencil and colored pencil in his high school career. Clever eventually discovered a paint brush and acrylic paints, as well as sculpting, ceramics, writing and mediation
In the Summer of 2016, Clever Garcia won an internship to be a part of the Walt Disney Imagineering: Place Makers internship in Glendale California, where he shadowed Imagineer art directors and painted replicas and modulars of their future coming attractions: Star Wars: Galaxy Edge. Garcia returned to New Mexico and graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the Spring of 2017. Completing his BFA in Studio Arts and Minor in Creative Writing.
Accompanied by his Senior exhibition “Pueblo Revolt: 1680 Series” in the Fall of 2016. Clever Garcia went on to exhibit at the Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque Pueblo on March 2, 2018. Exhibited more of his paintings and “Pueblo Revolt: 1680 Series” as well as newer printmaking works, he created from his senior year at IAIA. Since then, Garcia has been in several artistic shows, and pop-up events throughout New Mexico including the First Pathways in 2019 and Pathways 2023, SWAIA Winter Market 2023 and Krypt and Morgue Fest summer of 2023. Clever Garcia currently resides in Alburquerque NM, exhibiting in local galleries, painting in real time, and pushing the creative conscience of human spirituality and pueblo existence plus experience.
Artist Statement:
Born in the Summer of 1992 on August 15, under the Leo sun, created to inspire, dream, and uplift people. Inspired to help bring out the inner flame in humanity, that creative spark that ignites the inner artist within all of us. As a Native first and American second, I have a calling to uphold the traditional ways as well as navigating this modern world and its complexity. Bridging the old traditions of the Pueblo people, to the newer indigenous generations of the future and those willing to learn the traditional arts, New Mexico history and human creative conscience.
Britta Brunet - Acrylic and Watercolor Paintings
 Britta Brunet |  Soft Gaze - Owl |  Horse |
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 Fog is coming - deer |  Beauty Evolved |
My name is Britta Brunet, a New Mexico local born and raised. I've been painting since I was 12 years old - a passion rooted in my childhood spent creating alongside my grandma. Those early memories sparked a lifelong love for art, leading me to pursue my craft and develop my unique style over the years.
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Today, I specialize in abstract realism, with a focus on animals. I’m drawn to the balance between precision and freedom — I love painting small, thoughtful details while also embracing loose brushwork and bold, expressive color. My preferred media are watercolor and acrylic, which allow me to blend control with spontaneity in every piece.
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Each painting is a reflection of wonder, movement, and connection — a glimpse into the beauty I see in creation and the emotion behind it. Thank you for taking the time to explore my work. I hope it speaks to you."