Ali Rouse's works evoke a profound connection to nature, honoring the spirits of each animal she works with by carefully and intentionally adorning them with stones, precious metals, and glass beads. No piece is the same, each skull uniquely crafted and transformed into it’s new state of being. Rouse intertwines her years of experience in design with her intuitive ability to allow each piece to guide her.
Rouse's work captivates viewers with its intricate interplay of color, texture, and light, inviting viewers to form a deeper appreciation for the often unseen beauty that comes with the cycle of life and death.
Taking anywhere from 15 to 80 hours to create each piece, Ali links the elements of nature and design to create elaborate, handcrafted designs. The animals she honors in her work often include bison, longhorn, and ram, as well as impala, oryx, and kudu due to their distinct shape and beautiful elegance. All of the skulls that she works with are ethically sourced.
Rouse began working with beads at the age of 12 in her home state of New York. At 17, she relocated to Boston, MA to attend Newbury College and to study interior design. This training inspired her passion for color and the use of texture in her beadwork. She has also lived in Virginia and on the Caribbean island, Barbados.
During her years in the design industry, Rouse received major national coverage for her fashion and design work. Her jewelry has been featured by In Style and Vogue magazines, as well as on The Early Show.
In 1995 Ali moved to Santa Fe, NM where she now calls home. In 2001, Ali first felt inspired to begin beading skulls when she purchased her first skull at the Santa Fe flea market. She refined her unique craft of beading skulls through trial and error. They have since been exhibited throughout the Southwest, as well as in New York, Dallas, California, Orlando and Colorado. The first skull still hangs proudly in her home studio (skull pictured in photo above).
“Ali’s art teaches the value of beauty
and craftsmanship. In a world
where mass production has
become the norm”
— Marta Puig
Editor of Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
Ali’s art teaches the value of beauty and craftsmanship. Look closely and you’ll notice just how detailed her work really is. Each piece is beaded by hand and incorporates a variety of materials including precious stones, metals, filigree, leather, and more. The extremely detailed and time intensive nature of her work ensures each piece is truly one-of-a-kind.
CV
EDUCATION
Newbury College, Brookline, MA
Associates Degree in Interior Design, September 1989 - May 1991
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Interior Design major, 1992
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
“Mesa Skies,” Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, October 9, 2026
“Ethereal Visions,” Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, September 5, 2025
“Natures Journey,” Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, September 13, 2024
“Looking to the Future,” Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, August 2022
“Animals in Sculpture,” Canyon Road contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, August 2021
“Women of the Faraway,” Slate Gray Gallery, Telluride, CO, March 2021
“Launer, Schilling Opening,” Slate Gray Gallery, Telluride, CO, January, 2, 2020 Read Article
“Formed by Nature”, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM, September 2019
“Art Walk Kerrville”, Slate Gray Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX, 2018
“Contemporary Southwest”, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM June 2017
“Western Totems,” Inez Gallery, Los Olivos, CA, November 2014
“Reincarnation,” Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM August 2012
“West of Santa Fe,” Forum Shops, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV 2009
“Bespoken Bones,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, solo show, Santa Fe, NM September 2008
“Originals 2007,” New Mexico Women in the Arts, group show, Harwood Museum, Taos, NM 2007
“Reincarnation,” Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM August 2012
“Bronze, Beads and Bones,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, group show, Santa Fe, NM September 2007
“Nature Reborn,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM solo show, December 2006
“Reincarnation,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM solo show, December 2005
“Conceptual Paradigms,” Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York, NY group show, July 2004
PUBLICATIONS AND TELEVISION
Western Art Collector, Wildlife Special Magazine, September 2026
Contemporary Art Curator, Magazine, January 2024
American Art Collector, Magazine, May 2022
Santa Fean Magazine, December 2020
Santa Fean Magazine, August 2018
Mountain Living Magazine, September 2015
Santa Ynez Valley, August 2015
KBAC Radio Free Santa Fe, January 2014
Reign Magazine, December 2013
ABQ the Magazine, featured artist, April 2008
The New Mexican, April 2008
Vogue Magazine, September 2001
Vogue Magazine, December 2001
In Style Magazine, November 1999
The Early Show, television show, November 1999
Brighton Pittsford Post, November 1999
NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
Richard Kessler Collection - Private collection - Beaver Creek Lodge and Kessler Canyon
TERAVARNA International Wildlife Juried Art Competition, Talent Prize Award in 13th Animal 2026
TERAVARNA International Wildlife Juried Art Competition, Honorable Mention Award in 14th Animal 2026
Top artist to watch in 2024, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
“2015 Painted Violins...Symphonic Strokes,” Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, guest artist, beaded violin donation, October 2015
Man and Women of the Year, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of NM, guest artist, May 2015
Grand Bohemian Gallery 2007-2014 - Beaver Creek, Taos, Savannah, Casa Monica, Asheville, Orlando
US State Department, US Embassy Rabat Morocco: Art in Embassies private commission, April 2014
Works displayed at the NM State Capitol building, Santa Fe, summer 2014
Dr. Laura Program Art Boutique, radio show, guest artist, November 2014
Safari Club International, over 75 private commissions, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Wounded Warrior Project, guest artist, 2007, 2008, 2009
“Ali Rouse’s artistic creations are a profound reflection on the concepts of animism, shamanism, and the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth.”
— Marta Puig | Editor of Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
