My Story
Origins
Born in Brooklyn, NY, I spent almost forty years living in Santa Monica with a studio in Venice, CA. I was known for my night urban landscapes with images in the permanent collections of the Getty Center, LACMA, the Brooklyn Museum, MOMA, Dublin Ireland, the archives of the Venice Biennale, Huntington Museum, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, among other institutions.
Noir & International Work
My work has been exhibited and collected internationally and I have led numerous photo workshops teaching my style of Noir photography, including Santa Fe Noir for the Santa Fe Workshops in 2019 and October 2025. My forty-foot-long panorama of the entire city of LA at night was presented at the Venice Biennale of Architecture.
I have conceived and directed a number of group artist projects, multimedia installations, and Noir Arts festivals — the first for Santa Monica, CA in 2012 and the second at La Fonda Hotel in October 2025. Urban Noir, a projection featuring my night urban landscapes of NY and LA with quotes from pulp fiction and music composed by Grammy Award winner John Beasley, was presented live at the Annenberg Space for Photography, Century City, CA and the Academy for Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Beverly Hills, CA.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Since moving to Santa Fe in 2016, I have devoted my personal life to learning the care of horses and my artistic practice to creating work influenced by my spiritual relationship to nature. My Magic Boxes are presently on exhibit at GRACE in Santa Fe, Abiquiu Inn Gallery, and Inhabit Gallery, Corrales, NM.
ZIA Art Movement
I am presently working with a group of artists to create the ZIA Art Movement in New Mexico. ZAM is a collective of artists transforming the light, land, and energy of New Mexico into immersive, experiential art. Through collective action, we amplify individual voices, expand opportunity, and extend our reach beyond traditional boundaries. We turn place into experience — and experience into presence on a global stage.
Life on the Ranch
I live with my husband, Dr. Stuart H. Garber, five Springer Spaniels, and three horses on a ranch 20 minutes from the historic district of Santa Fe. We trail ride together and I play mounted archery for sport and fun.
Helen K. Garber is a fine art photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work spans night urban landscapes, Southwest photography, equine photography, dog portraits, and mixed media assemblage. Collections include the Getty Center, LACMA, MOMA, Brooklyn Museum, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She teaches Noir photography workshops and is a founding member of the ZIA Art Movement in New Mexico.