Originally from Nebraska, Geiger’s artistic journey began when she moved to the Morongo Valley in 1989. Inspired by the rugged beauty of the high desert, she developed a passion for painting its unique landscapes, structures, and history. Through her work, she captures the region’s visual richness and the emotional and cultural ties people form with it.
Geiger’s subjects range from weathered travel trailers and homestead cabins to desert flora and wildlife. She starts with her photographs and transforms them into detailed, realistic paintings, working primarily in oil on canvas and gouache on panels.
I asked her about one of her early pieces, a cowboy set against Monument Valley. She explained:
“I used an old postcard as a reference for the cowboy, but I felt Monument Valley was a much better background than the flat plain in the original photo. That’s the beauty of artistic license—I can create the scene exactly as I want it to be.”
Geiger’s work has been featured at the High Desert Artist Gallery, but this two-month exhibition is at Spaghetti Western. She had been invited to participate multiple times, but the timing never aligned—until now.
The artist’s reception will occur on March 9 at Spaghetti Western Restaurant and Music Venue, 50048 Twentynine Palms Hwy, Morongo Valley, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
