Calla Klessig Sentić Verified listing

My work is born from a deep reconnection with nature—a return to the wild spirit within and the enduring stories whispered by the land, sky, and storm-swept Western landscapes. Each painting invites reflection on healing, renewal, and transformation through richly textured scenes shaped by the shifting moods of weather, light, and tempest.

Drawing from vivid memories gathered hiking, camping, and wandering across New Mexico’s wilds and the greater West, I paint from both observation and imagination—evoking the hush of snow, the shimmer of autumn leaves, and the dramatic dance of shadow, sun, and storm. My palette knife builds layers of texture and color, crafting landscapes that offer a meditation on time, place, and reverence for the natural world.

I begin with grounding tones of red oxide or deep midnight blue—colors that echo desert minerals and the fertile darkness of mountain nights. Heavy brushstrokes form a textured foundation that guides and surprises me. With my palette knife, I build thick, tactile layers, carving and revealing beneath the surface, infusing each scene with unexpected hues and vibrant depth.

For me, storms are a powerful symbol—visceral reminders that we must weather darkness to be renewed, and that light and peace follow even the fiercest tempests. This body of work invites viewers to witness nature’s resilience, find sanctuary in cycles of change, and embrace the hope carried in every palette knife stroke—a hope for healing, transformation, and belonging.

Themes of healing, renewal, and transformation pulse through my work—an ode to nature’s wild spirit and the sacred cycles of light and shadow, storm and calm. Each piece invites reverence for the land’s enduring stories and offers a sanctuary where resilience and belonging take root.