UNTAMED DESERT: CAPTURED BY PAULETTE DONNELLON

January 31-February 22, 2026. Photographs by Paulette Donnellon in the Alcove. Opening reception January 31, 2025, 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Inspired by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Vast, rugged, and full of life, Untamed Desert: Captured by Paulette Donnellon is a photographic tribute to the extraordinary beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Through her lens, Donnellon captures the subtle drama and quiet resilience of this unique landscape, from golden sunrises over the badlands to the fleeting bloom of desert wildflowers and the watchful eyes of wildlife that call the park home.

Each image reflects Paulette’s deep reverence for Anza-Borrego, a place she returns to time and again to witness nature’s rhythms. Her work invites viewers to slow down and look closer at the textures in the sand, the shadows in the canyon, and the surprising abundance of life that thrives beneath the desert sun.

This exhibition is not just a visual journey, it’s a celebration of the park’s wild spirit and a reminder that even in the harshest environments, beauty endures.

Paulette Donnellon is an award‑winning nature and wildlife photographer based in Southern California. With an expressive eye for storytelling, her photography aims to unveil the hidden wonders of desert ecosystems, from the Anza‑Borrego Desert to the Salton Sea and beyond 

Her striking work has earned major accolades:

• Grand Prize winner in the National Park Foundation’s “Share the Experience” contest, leading to her Eastern Collared Lizard photo being featured on the 2024 America the Beautiful National Park Pass 
• “Best in Show” at the 2024 San Diego County Fair’s International Exhibition of Photography for her captivating Black‑tailed Jackrabbit image, along with top prizes in the Birds and Wildlife categories 
• California Wildlife Photo of the Year 2023 for a charming Burrowing Owl portrait, honored on the Senate floor 
• Winner of the 2023 U.S. State Parks Photography Competition’s wildlife category for her Antelope Ground Squirrel shot in Anza‑Borrego