Tree of Life Mural 2022 by Denise Weaver-Ross in Albuquerque

Denise Weaver Ross is a multi-disciplinary artist, illustrator, muralist, and poet known for her intricately layered visual language. Drawing from mythology, natural forms, cultural symbolism, and historical narrative, she weaves disparate elements into richly textured compositions that explore connection, contradiction, and meaning. Her major series include House of Cards, a reimagining of the traditional deck through 56 symbolic works; Legendary Creatures, an A-to-Z journey through global folklore; Art of the I Ching, which blends symbolic imagery with the ancient hexagrams; and her current project, Postcards to America, which critiques national myths by pairing vintage postcard aesthetics with contemporary and historical realities. Denise has completed eight murals throughout Albuquerque—with her ninth, Sky of Life, underway—and has exhibited nationally, earning recognition such as an Underdog Prize at the 2022 ArtPrize competition. She was selected as one of four artists to collaborate on a community-designed sculpture for Albuquerque’s International District Park as part of the 2026 Route 66 Centennial. In addition to her studio and public art practice, she teaches in Harwood Art Center’s Youth Mural Program, guiding middle school students in creating school-based and public murals. Denise holds an MFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discovered her passion for art at age eight during a visit to the Milwaukee Museum of Art, and is the author of five books blending her artwork and poetry. She has lived in Albuquerque since 1996.