Cleary’s journey through northern New Mexico became a hallmark of her career. Following in the footsteps of these artistic pioneers, she developed a deep connection to the land—a connection that radiates through her expansive body of work. Her collection of oil and watercolor paintings focuses on many of the same dramatic landscapes, adobe villages, and high desert vistas that once inspired the Taos Society. The ethereal light and spiritual resonance of the Southwest are captured in each brushstroke, creating a dialogue between past and present.

Barbara was also drawn to the legacy of women artists who found their creative voice in New Mexico. Figures like Georgia O’Keeffe, Dorothy Brett, and Rebecca Salsbury James found in Taos and Abiquiú a place of solitude and inspiration, free from the constraints of the mainstream art world. Much of the Barbara Cleary collection pays homage to these women by capturing the same haunting beauty of the Ghost Ranch region, the Pedernal mesas, and the timeless structures of Abiquiú and Taos. Her work channels the bold spirit and
independence that O’Keeffe embodied, while infusing it with her own contemporary sensitivity and reverence for the land.

Today, Barbara Cleary Designs is proudly based in Taos, New Mexico—where her granddaughter, Jenna
Layden, is working to bring her work full circle. Jenna is now living and painting among the very landscapes that once stirred a generation of iconic artists, including her grandmother, Barbara, continuing the artistic lineage that made Taos a creative sanctuary. Jenna has plans to relocate the extensive collection of Barbara Cleary original art to Taos in 2025, giving it a new permanent residence and opportunity for
the public to view the collection in the coming years. 

Barbara Cleary, a contemporary American artist, originally worked in watercolor but eventually transitioned to oil painting, directly inspired by Fechin’s ability to layer emotion and intensity into his work. She recognized in his paintings a depth of feeling that watercolor could not always capture—especially when trying to express the vastness and emotional charge of the New Mexican landscape. As a result, her oil works exhibit a more textured, dynamic surface, filled with movement, color harmony, and gestural freedom.

Fechin’s time in Taos was also marked by his architectural creativity—his hand-carved furniture, doors, and beams in the now-preserved Fechin House reflect his desire to integrate art into every corner of life. Barbara Cleary reflects this same sensibility in her subject matter, choosing to portray not only landscapes but also the essence of life in Taos—the rhythm of adobe dwellings, the shadow play on mountain walls, and the ephemeral beauty of New Mexico skies.

Studying the collection of Barbara Cleary, one can find paintings that subtly echo Fechin’s spirit. Works like “Taos Mountains”, and “County Line” capture the same reverent awe for the land and its energies. In “Taos Mountains,” for instance, the layered brushstrokes and glowing horizon line reflect the kind of emotive realism that Fechin pioneered. Though Cleary typically leans more into landscapes and florals rather than portraiture, both artists share a commitment to portraying aliveness—not just what the eye sees, but what the soul feels.

Stylistically, Cleary’s use of color is often more dreamlike and ethereal compared to Fechin’s heavier impasto and earth-driven palette. Her florals and abstract works, while gentler in tone, still carry the same intention: to translate the spirit of place and presence into form. Where Fechin might emphasize the contours of a cheek or the texture of a shawl, Cleary is more likely to let color and light tell the story. Yet, both artists allow for impressionistic freedom, welcoming the viewer into an immersive, emotional space.

What sets Cleary apart is her deep focus on contemporary Southwest life, particularly the feminine and natural mysticism of the region. Her art often celebrates the stillness and sacredness of everyday moments—sunlight on a mesa, the bloom of desert wildflowers, or the hum of a pueblo evening. In this way, her work is a continuation of the Taos artistic lineage, bringing a modern, feminine voice into a legacy that began with early 20th-century pioneers like Fechin, Georgia O’Keeffe, and the Taos Society of Artists.

Ultimately, Fechin and Cleary are bound by more than geography. Both artists came to Taos seeking transformation—and found it in the textures, people, and spiritual power of the land. Through different mediums and eras, they each reflect the magnetic pull of New Mexico as a muse, offering us timeless visual meditations on presence, place, and the beauty of becoming.

Decorating with landscape art is not just about filling a wall; it’s about transforming your space with the timeless allure of nature’s grandeur. Let Barbara Cleary’s exquisite landscape paintings infuse your home with the spirit of the Southwest, creating a harmonious blend of art and nature that resonates with both beauty and meaning.