High Desert is New Mexico’s first master-planned, sustainable community in the foothills of our exquisite Sandia Mountains and the Cibola National Forest. Home to dozens of artists and creatives, High Desert hosts an annual studio tour to share the beauty we make with our friends and art-loving neighbors around Albuquerque.
join us for the 16th High Desert Studio Tour on November 14-15, 2026 from 10 am to 5 pm
Just follow the purple balloons!
Now TWO
days of art!
Allen Morrison
Allen's passion for photography birthed from an unexpected trip to the Galapagos Islands in 2014. Hooked from the first press of the shutter attempting to capture what he really saw with his own eyes. 9 years later, Allen is the co-owner of Land of Enchantment Photography - Art Gallery, a thriving photographic gallery in Old Town Albuquerque that showcases the Southwest. Allen's passion is capturing and teaching photographers the art of cultivating one's own style in the digital era of photography akin to Ansel Adam's workflow where over 50% of the creative process of making an image occurs in post-processing. Allen's work specializes in landscapes, astrophotography, wildlife and hot air ballooning.
www.landofenchantmentphotography.com
Studio Tour Address: 13601 Quaking Aspen Place NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
Allison Jones Hunt
Allison Jones Hunt is an abstract painter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her work uses color, intuitive form, and layers dancing between chaos and control to channel the full emotional spectrum, offering a permission slip to feel it all. Her creative practice uses the embodied act of painting as somatic processing and healing for herself, the viewer, and the world at large. Her paintings serve as visual reminders to feel all our feelings—and use them to create both the lives we want to live and the world in which we want to live them.
allisonjoneshunt.com
Studio Tour Address: 13215 Bighorn Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Andrea bisignani
What started out as a hobby over 20 years ago, has turned into a creative business that allows me to share my craft with others by selling gifts and teaching classes. I love all the fun techniques and mediums that can be incorporated into paper crafting, such as watercolors, alcohol inks, embossing, and more. Furthermore, paper crafting is fun and forgiving. Crafts on the Move loves bringing crafts to life by teaching virtual and in person classes.
Crafts on the Move
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
Paula Heffner
The joy of painting with watercolor for me is about the fluidity of the medium and the happy surprises that can happen even when you think you are in control. I love challenging myself to continually try new subject matter and techniques and enjoy painting landscapes, flowers, animals, still life and portraits.
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Andy Kilbury
Andy has been experimenting with all kinds of artistic media since childhood, but sewing has always been there in the background. Lately, following a detour into interior design, she has been making small fabric home goods and other accessories. She loves playing with colorful fabrics and unusual materials of various weights, and tries never to repeat a combination!
Studio Tour Address: 6319 Calla Lily Circle NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Dagmar Beinenz-Byrd
Dagmar Beinenz-Byrd is a fiber artist, who offers high quality hand-dyed yarns, hand-knit items and sewn bags in various sizes. You may know her business as ZiaWoolz, the name has recently changed to Paperdag Yarns. She says, “The original name came from my love for the State of New Mexico, but now it is time to show respect for its people!” Her passion for paper and writing is incorporated into a new line of artfully decorated stationery products, like custom journals and notebooks, that feature one-of-a-kind collages.
www.paperdag.com
Instagram
YouTube
Studio Tour Address: 13701 Elena Gallegos Pl NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
JJ PArsons
JJ’s art career began over a decade ago combining a love for jewelry making with watercolor & acrylic painting. Through classes from local artists, she learned silversmithing and creates unique sterling, brass and painted watercolor jewelry. She is a self taught acyclic painter and her medium and large scale work evolves either from the beauty of nature in the southwest or her own abstracts designs on canvas.
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Laura Salamy
At High on Hooking we do “not so traditional” rug hooking. That is, the mats and rugs aren’t necessarily fashioned using only woolen strips or yarn. We prefer to use old textiles (especially old t-shirts and bed sheets!), funky fabrics, and notions like yarns and ribbon. Cutting cloth strips by hand to a fairly broad width gives each mat a bit of a rustic and bulky charm, creating something you can really sink your toes into. They look good on the wall too. And don’t forget to try them on benches and tables.
highonhooking.com
instagram.com/highonhooking
Studio Tour Address: 13701 Elena Gallegos Pl NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Marci Allen
Marci Allen is a mixed media artist. She uses a variety of mediums, collage, acrylic paint, inks, oil pastels and more to layer her work and create a story on canvas. She has shown her work in Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, and locally at Mariposa Gallery.
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Mary Martin
From the time I could hold a crayon, I wanted to be an artist. Happily, throughout school I was always “the one who could draw” so I became a junior high school Art Teacher - then an Art Director/Creative Director at two advertising agencies in Chicago. But it wasn’t until 1999 when my husband sculptor William Freer and I were lured to New Mexico - with its crystal skies, heroic landscapes and color everywhere - that I started to take art seriously. My paintings are varied from oil portraits, to acrylic abstracts, to still life pastels,
and I look forward to sharing them with you in November!
marymartinartist.com
Studio Tour Address: 6220 Buffalo Hills Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Sarah Lovell
I received my first degree from the Colorado Institute of Art and then was attending UNM for ceramics when my son was born premature. I then pursued my degree in nursing at UNM to gain the knowledge I would need to care for my child that would have many health care needs. That child has grown into a strong healthy young man and I have recently been able to reunite with my passion for pottery after sixteen years as an ICU nurse. All of my work is inspired by nature. I love to bring nature and color into the functional world to brighten everyday life.
Facebook
Studio Tour Address: 13701 Elena Gallegos Pl NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Thea Berg
With my beaded jewelry I am focusing my designs using memory wire to create choker style necklaces with special focal beads. I also create a variety of bracelets using memory wire. In addition to jewelry I am featuring a number of Christmas items: Christmas decorations created with beads, and crochet yarn. I will also show large hand sewn advent’s calendars, and Christmas tree shaped napkins.
thea.berg43@gmail.com
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
William Freer
I am a contemporary artist who works in bronze, steel, paper and glass. Each work is designed to capture shadows or accentuate color and light. My sculptures are chosen by residents here in High Desert and by collectors internationally. These are a few of the pieces commissioned by our neighbors. I look forward to seeing you!
williamfreerstudio.com
Studio Tour Address: 6220 Buffalo Hills Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Stephen Kim Williamson
I have traveled the world half of my life and have now lived in New Mexico for 35 years. My life’s adventures have helped me become the artist I am today. My love of colors come from the many amazing places I have visited. I enjoy surrounding myself with art and the stories that come with each piece. I hope you find your own story in my paintings.
https://www.instagram.com/stephenkimwilliamson
Studio Tour Address: 13516 Quaking Aspen Place NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
Stephen Kim Williamson
I have traveled the world half of my life and have now lived in New Mexico for 35 years. My life’s adventures have helped me become the artist I am today. My love of colors come from the many amazing places I have visited. I enjoy surrounding myself with art and the stories that come with each piece. I hope you find your own story in my paintings.
https://www.instagram.com/stephenkimwilliamson
Studio Tour Address: 13516 Quaking Aspen Place NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
Karen Macek
For me, color is the essence of my painting. If what I express on canvas resonates with the viewer, I believe I have energized their spirit. I create a bridge between my emotions and the audience’s experience through vibrant hues and dynamic contrasts. This allows them to feel the life and energy encapsulated in my work. Each stroke becomes a dialogue, a way to connect through the beauty of color and the stories it tells.
karenmacekartist.com
fineartamerica.com/profiles/karen-macek
pinterest.com/karenm5658
facebook.com/karen.macek.58
Studio Tour Address: 6319 Calla Lily Circle NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
LEah Sandman
A native of Albuquerque, Leah Sandman has been working as a graphic designer for over 25 years. She began taking lessons on the pottery wheel in late 2021 and immediately became hooked! Currently Leah focuses on functional pieces but is constantly striving to improve and learn more.
Studio Tour Address: 13709 Ricegrass Pl NEAlbuquerque, NM 87111
Carol Maestas
I’ve had the privilege of creating since I was a child. I see possibility in everything around me. I paint what I love and what speaks to me. That is why my art includes so many different subjects based on what I am experiencing at any moment. I hope my paintings take you on a wonderful journey and move you in some way as they have moved me.
https://carolmaestasart.com
https://www.instagram.com/carolmaestasart
Studio Tour Address: 13605 Ricegrass Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Sue Frow
I’ve been knitting, making cross stitch, and needlepoint for almost three decades. I have used alpaca yarns, merino, and cotton to knit these projects. Usually I’m doing scarves, but sweaters and needlepoint are in my yarn or linen stash.
Studio Tour Address: 13501 Osage Orange Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Susan Weeks
Susan Weeks is an award-winning watercolorist who explores styles from hyperrealism to experimental to plein air. She is originally from Tennessee, but has lived in New Mexico for forty-five years. Before becoming an artist, Susan had a mosaic of careers, from teaching school in Guatemala, to being a librarian at the University of New Mexico Law School Library, to practicing law in New Mexico. As an artist living in New Mexico where the arts community is strong and nurturing, she is pleased to participate in the High Desert Studio Tour.
www.susanweeks.com
Studio Tour Address: 13515 Osage Orange Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111
Katie Burkstaller
Sky, water, land, texture and earthy colors are recurring themes in my work. I paint intuitively, picking colors and shapes that give me a certain feeling vs. beginning with a specific idea or series in mind. Artistic expression has been a way for me to find and define my voice. The enchanting beauty of living in Santa Fe, New Mexico is definitely at the heart of my work. I strive to capture the movement, energy and essence of its magical landscape and create a mood for the viewer to get lost in. As an Encaustic painter, using molten beeswax allows me to build up many layers of color and texture that can be added to or taken away. Beeswax dries almost immediately which indulges my desire to work quickly and enjoy a certain amount of spontaneity that can happen with Encaustic. Sharing meaningful connections through art is my passion.
https://www.katieburkstaller.com
Studio Tour Address: 13516 Quaking Aspen Pl. NE
Liz Lawrence
My art is Fiber Art. I create landscape art pieces that use fabric as the medium and quilting methods to create pictorial quilting. These pieces can range from small to large with three layers. One is the backing, two is the batting, and three is a decorative top layer to which different amounts of top stitching thread are added to enhance the picture. Gluing the art quilt to art canvases for ease in hanging completes the process. Can include wall hangings, book marks, placemats or special orders.
Studio Tour Address:
13504 Red Yucca Ave, NE
Martha Cummings
Welcome to my studio! I create whimsical mosaic art designed to bring color, joy, and a touch of magic into your everyday spaces.
My collection includes:
Plant Fascinators: Playful, weather-resistant pieces for garden and pots.
Coasters: Functional mini-artworks to brighten up tables.
Frames: Unique borders to showcase your cherished memories.
and more!
Every single piece is handcrafted using carefully selected tiles, stained glass, and found objects. This process ensures that no two creations are ever exactly alike. Whether you want to transform your garden into an enchanting escape or find a unique, handmade gift, these pieces are built to last and spark conversation.
Studio Tour Address:
13504 Red Yucca Ave, NE
Linda Kay Livingston
Linda Kay was a Fine Arts major at UNM. She has explored many different art forms including
watercolor, acrylic painting, pastels and pottery. She is currently concentrating on basket making, both
coiled and pine needle, and knitting skinny scarves. Variety keeps her creative juices flowing.
Studio Tour Address:
13501 Osage Orange Rd NE
