60 lives, 1 town
By Ekin Balcıoğlu
“It took a complete three days to recognize this and make the move which has lasted 35 years to date … Taos hit me like a ton of bricks: I knew I was home,” Paul O’Connor writes in the introduction to “Taos Portraits II: Photos by Paul O’Connor.”
This sense of belonging — immediate yet enduring — provides the foundation for a book that delves into the lives of the people who make up this singular town. Edited by Lynne Robinson and designed by Kelly Pasholk, “Taos Portraits II” presents 60 portraits, each accompanied by essays that illuminate the personal, cultural and artistic forces shaping Taos.
“Then there are the people. First and foremost, the Indigenous Tiwa people of the Taos Pueblo. Their presence, generosity, and history are the underpinnings that hold everything together,” O’Connor continues. These words underscore the centrality of the Tiwa community to the identity of Taos, where their traditions and connection to the land have shaped the town’s rhythm and spirit. O’Connor acknowledges this with a deep respect born of decades of observation and participation.
The town itself has also been shaped by those who came and never left. “Waves of people from various periods of time, coming and going and leaving behind a certain number who never leave,” he writes. It is these individuals — artists, builders, thinkers — who have captured O’Connor’s attention, those who stayed and became part of the fabric of Taos, contributing their creativity and lives to its enduring complexity.
The art of quiet exchange
In her foreword to “Taos Portraits II,” Jina Brenneman reflects on the deeply human challenge of portraiture. “A great portrait is not only a collaboration but also a negotiation between the photographer and the sitter,” she writes. “Perhaps that push and pull is what makes taking a photographic portrait so complicated and also one of the most difficult undertakings in art.”
Brenneman’s words capture the spirit of Paul O’Connor’s black-and-white images, which unfold as intimate exchanges. His photographs have a quiet gravity to them, inviting the viewer to linger, not just on the faces but on the invisible relationships behind each frame.
The book itself mirrors this intimacy. Large in format and weighty in presence, it feels deliberate, designed to demand your attention. The portraits, rendered in black and white, strip away distractions, bringing every detail — the lines of a face, the texture of clothing, the light in a subject’s eyes — into stark relief. It’s not just a book to flip through but one to sit with, to return to, as the stories unfold across its pages. The essays that accompany the images, written by friends, family members or the subjects themselves, deepen the sense of closeness. It is a book that feels both monumental and personal, a rare balance that makes it as much an artifact as an experience.
“Today, portraiture is more important than ever,” Brenneman observes. “It creates a life-affirming, human connection that is essential, in a world becoming less and less sensitive to the human condition.”
This is the quiet power of “Taos Portraits II.” The book isn’t about grand statements but about the small, profound moments of connection between people and the places they call home. Through O’Connor’s lens, we see artists, chefs, builders and weavers not as abstractions but as individuals bound by their creativity, perseverance and deep ties to the community.
O’Connor’s photographs remind us of the richness in every face, every gesture.
“Paul reminds us of the depth of the humanity, culture, care, and love that is the nature of the diverse arts community in Taos,” Brenneman writes.
The portraits are more than static records — they are openings, moments of seeing that reveal not just the subject but the dynamic, interconnected web of life in Taos. The book’s scale, its careful pacing and its refusal to rush or overwhelm embody this ethos. It’s an object that asks to be engaged with deeply — echoing the exchanges it captures.
Stories from the community
The essays in “Taos Portraits II” provide intimate narrativesof the individuals who make up the artistic and cultural heart of Taos. Written by collaborators, friends and family, these reflections highlight the resilience, creativity and deep sense of purpose that define their lives.
Editor Lynne Robinson, who is also editor of Taos News’ Tempo magazine,ensured these pieces retained the authentic voices of their writers, many of whom were not professional authors.
“They were not bound to rote academia in regard to copy edits,” Robinson notes, emphasizing the importance of preserving the individuality and rawness of each perspective. This commitment allows the essays to mirror the diversity and authenticity of the Taos community.
Johnny Ortiz, a chef and forager, lives and works in harmony with the land, blending tradition with innovation. Andrea Rosen describes him as someone whose strength is matched only by his kindness.
“As sweet as Johnny is, he is tough! I could never be strong enough to tie a dead chicken around my dog’s neck for two days,” she writes, illustrating Ortiz’s unflinching respect for the cycles of life. Whether raising Navajo-Churro sheep, foraging wild mushrooms or cooking over open flames, Ortiz’s work is a reflection of his commitment to renewal and connection, where sustenance becomes art.
Artist and artist’s model Lyle Wright approaches his work with a profound connection to his Pueblo heritage and a keen sense of his role within it.
“I ask Lyle what he thinks about when he’s posing,” Kelly Pasholk writes. “He tells me he thinks about the future, about the legacy his generation will leave, about the generations before.” As a silversmith, Wright draws inspiration from ceremonial life and the teachings of elders, creating art that honors the depth of his cultural roots. His work bridges the historical and the contemporary, balancing the preservation of tradition with the reinvention of identity, carving out a space that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
For Patricia Michaels, a fashion designer and artist, creation is an act of cultural preservation and forward thinking, her work rooted in both tradition and innovation.
Her daughter, Margeaux Abeyta, reflects on her mother’s approach: “Fashion is forever forward thinking, and now more than ever the roles are changing.” Michaels’ designs draw inspiration from her Pueblo heritage, translating the textures and patterns of her culture into a contemporary framework. “It is a life of balance, to preserve one’s past while progressing within a larger world of relevance,” Abeyta writes, emphasizing her mother’s ability to weave sustainability and storytelling into her work, ensuring tradition evolves while its origins are never forgotten.
J. Matthew Thomas, as Erin Elder writes, is an artist, architect, curator and the founder of The Paseo Project and the PASEO, a festival that transforms Taos into a hub of interactive art and community engagement. He also co-founded Pecha Kucha in Taos, creating a platform for local artists and thinkers to share ideas and stories. Alongside his community-building work, Thomas’s artistic practice draws from his upbringing and family traditions.
“I’m working with a pile of dress patterns from my mom,” he explains, describing his use of waxed, folded and sewn-over paper. “I think of this as queering the tools of my ancestors.” From quilted 2-D artworks to performances with inflatable cinder blocks, Thomas’ work merges the practical and conceptual, fostering spaces where creativity and community intersect.
A living portrait
“Taos Portraits II” is a celebration of the people who define Taos. Through O’Connor’s lens and the deeply personal essays, the book reveals a community bound by tradition, creativity, and resilience. The Tiwa people, whose connection to the land is woven into the town’s identity, the artists who honor heritage while forging their own paths, and the individuals who choose to stay and contribute — all are part of this living portrait.
The black-and-white images are timeless yet immediate, capturing quiet moments of humanity and connection. The essays enrich these portraits, reminding us that every face carries a story — of perseverance, history and belonging. This is not just a book to look at but one to experience, asking us to pause and truly see the people who shape this extraordinary place. Through these portraits and stories, Taos emerges not just as a place but as a shared, living expression of art and humanity.
In a world often focused on the fleeting, “Taos Portraits II” lingers, offering a powerful reminder of the beauty and strength found in community. It is a reflection of what it means to belong — to a land, to a culture and to each other.
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