Background & Upbringing
Lila grew up just outside the city limits of Santa Fe, surrounded by adobe architecture, vibrant art markets, and centuries of multicultural heritage. Her parents owned a boutique gallery that showcased both emerging and established Southwestern artists, so she was steeped in the region’s creative pulse from an early age.
Education
Lila studied Fine Arts and Creative Writing at the University of New Mexico. Afterward, she earned a fellowship at a writers’ retreat in Taos, where she polished her craft, blending visual artistry with narrative storytelling.
Professional Background
She began her career as a contributor to Santa Fe’s local arts magazine, writing profiles of painters, sculptors, and weavers. This naturally led to her first book—a collection of interlinked short stories depicting a fictional community of artists in the high desert. Today, she curates special exhibits at her family’s gallery while continuing to publish short fiction.
Cultural Influences
Deeply inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic desert landscapes, Lila pairs her Southwestern identity with literary influences like Leslie Marmon Silko and Willa Cather. She also loves the flamenco and Native American drumming traditions that converge in Santa Fe’s cultural scene, incorporating a soulful, cross-cultural perspective into her works on romance and art.
