Cloaked in Sunlight

This painting captures a moment of quiet contemplation—a young woman wrapped in a traditional white rebozo, her face turned toward something beyond the canvas. I wanted to explore that liminal space where the ancient and contemporary meet, which feels so essential to understanding this place we call home.

I laid the paint on thick, letting the brushstrokes stay visible and energetic. I wanted that intensity to pour through the color.

But it’s her face that anchors everything. I spent a bit of time modeling of her features, the way the light catches her cheekbone, the slight upturn of her lips suggesting some private thought. There’s a timelessness in her expression that speaks to the generations of women who have called this high desert home.

The white rebozo creates this beautiful contrast—both in color and in what it represents. It’s draped with such natural grace, the way fabric moves when it’s been worn and loved. I used cooler purples and blues in the shadows to make it feel dimensional, almost sculptural against the floral backdrop.

This is what I love about painting the people of Taos. Everyone carries stories—layers of history, tradition, dreams, struggles. You can see it in their faces if you really look. A small attempt to capture something true about this moment, this person, this place where cultures have mingled for centuries.

The painting is oil on canvas, 12×12 inches.