Elaine Ritchel is a Santa Fe-based educator, writer, and painter. She is currently an artist in residence at El Zaguan on Canyon Road. She holds an MA in Art History and has worked as a gallery teacher, guest educator, and language services specialist with arts institutions in the US and abroad, including the UNM Art Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art, the New Mexico Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb. Her arts writing has been published in Southwest Contemporary and New Mexico Magazine.

In 2015, Elaine founded Santa Fe Art Tours to provide interactive, guided explorations of the local art scene. Her tours usher participants into landmark galleries and unexpected art spaces, introduce them to artists and gallerists, and encourage them to personally connect with the work on view. Her highly rated Canyon Road Art & History tour has been featured on CNN Travel.

Elaine also teaches art workshops. When she’s not painting or leading art tours, she’s usually exploring the landscape of New Mexico with her pup, people watching at a local cafe, or traveling to one of her favorite destinations.