In 1954, architect and watercolorist Irene von Horvath (1918–2007) purchased an old adobe home on Canyon Road in the heart of Santa Fe’s artist colony. Von Horvath received her BA and MA degrees in architecture from the Carnegie-Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh. She worked in New York City for several years, periodically vacationing in Santa Fe, where she enjoyed painting watercolors of the local landscape. Eventually, she decided to move permanently to New Mexico, working as an architect for the New Mexico Department of Health. Over the years, von Horvath refurbished and extended her house, completing much of the building and carpentry work herself. Von Horvath’s house stands as a representative example of the creative and eclectic refurbishments to historic properties made by many newcomers to Santa Fe.
From Old Santa Fe Today, 5th edition by Audra Bellmore with photographs by Simone Frances.