Painter Kathryn Stedham leads a double life in Santa Fe, New Mexico: She’s either in the studio painting, and all that entails, or she’s competing in Western dressage, which requires a harmonious performance between horse and rider. Someone could devote their entire life to either, and Stedham is committed to both. “I definitely have both feet in the West,” she says. “And they’re covered in earth.”
Horse Country, Wagon Mound, oil on canvas, 20 x 40 in.This love of the West is reflected in her riding, but also in her artwork, which will be on display at a new show opening July 25 at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe. Some of the new paintings were inspired by recent travels around the Southwest, including to Wagon Mound in Northern New Mexico. The butte, which resembles a Conestoga wagon, was a landmark along the Old Santa Fe Trail. Stedham paints the National Historic Landmark in her new piece Horse Country, Wagon Mound. “It really is a striking feature in the landscape. It’s kind of like Shiprock how you can see it on the horizon for a long time, then you pass it and it suddenly fills you with this incredible impression,” the painter says. “I enjoy painting subjects that leave an impact on me like that.”
Riverbend with Cottonwoods, oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in.
For Stedham, nature holds countless mysteries waiting to be discovered. So many that it frustrates her to think she may never be able to paint them all. “I’m older now than I was when I just started out, so I do feel this sadness thinking about how many paintings I have left. I have a lot still to do, but never enough to capture everything that is out there,” she says. “I was a plein air painter, so I could just put up my easel and paint anything. But these days I’m more selective because there is only so much time.”
Sunset Morada, oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in.
In her new works, the painter examines the landscape and the sky, uniting them into one scene. Each independently is painted beautifully, and yet the union—and the contrast—of the land and sky is what makes her work sing. This can be seen in pieces such as Cloud Shadows and Sunset Morada, both of which draw viewers’ eyes deftly into the center of the painting.
Cloud Shadows, oil on linen, 16 x 20 in.
“Kathryn Stedham’s paintings offer a fresh yet soulful interpretation of the American West,” says Leah Garcia with Blue Rain Gallery. “With bold brushwork and a meditative palette, she captures not just the landscape, but its silence, strength and spirit. Her work bridges tradition and contemporary vision, making each piece a compelling addition for collectors seeking both timeless beauty and expressive depth.”
Her show hangs through August 5. —
Blue Rain Gallery 544 S. Guadalupe Street » Santa Fe, NM 87501 » (505) 954-9902 » www.blueraingallery.com
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