Joan Grabel is an American Fine Art Photographer residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Inspired by Buddhism, Native American cosmology and Japanese minimalist aesthetics. Joan’s approach ranges from minimalism – abstracting and recording the essence of what is observed to modern realism.

Grabel’s early fine art paintings explored the geometric and organic forms inspired by the shapes of the human body and its relationship to the landscape – merging body and landforms that can be seen in her portfolio Body and Earth Entwined. These early works were greatly influenced by the aesthetics of Georgia O’Keeffeand her study with the minimalist painter Robert Mangold at the School of Visual Arts in New York.Over the years Grabel expanded her art from the canvas to the landscape in California (Park Slope Design). Her landscape design work often paralleled her artwork, minimalist functional form and the impact of color, light and space.

For many years Grabel used photography as a tool of study for painting. In 2015 she moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. While observing the New Mexico sky she realized the photographs were complete as recorded. She discovered that with digital editing she could bring forth the essence of what she experienced. Photography became her main medium. The portfolios Ephemeral Unending developed and Tempest and Meditations on White Sands series followed. Paralleling these series, in 2021 Grabel became interested in the human experience and pursued portrait exploration and in 2026 published a photo book, SOLO AND TOGETHER, A Photo Journal that is composed of portraits with reflections on self and connection.

In the past 8 years Grabel’s photographs have been purchased for New Mexico Art in Public Places - Placitas Library, Clovis Fire Dept, Economic Development Dept in Albuquerque and most recently in 2025 The University of New Mexico new Surgery Center in Albuquerque. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Grabel’s work was selected for the 17th, 20th and 25th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers.