Local artist G.G. Santiago, the imaginative force behind the beloved “Rainbow Brite” illustrated children’s characters, the whimsical Enesco “My Little Kitchen Fairies” resin figurines, and the Franz Porcelain “Skin Deep” collection of intricately tattooed figurines, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 7:45 a.m. in her home and art studio nestled in the Bristol fruit hills — the very place where her creativity continued to bloom late into her life. She was 82.

She was born in war-torn Rega, Latvia on March 5, 1943, to the late Monvid “Monty” and Elizabeth (Grobins) Graudins. Her first breath came into a world already fractured by conflict. Life there was anything but easy. As with so many families of that era, the Graudins family was swept into the horrors of World War II. They moved often, living in austere and uncertain conditions, constantly attempting to avoid Nazi persecution. In a tragedy that would shape her forever, young G.G. and her family witnessed the execution of her grandfather, August, and saw her father, Montvid, taken away as a prisoner of war.

For a time, G.G. believed she would never see her father again. Yet Montvid’s remarkable intellect and gift for language — he spoke five fluently — spared his life. Retained as a translator rather than executed, he survived under unimaginable circumstances. Through determination and courage, he gained access to information that confirmed his wife and children were alive in a particular Allied refugee camp. In an act that bordered on the miraculous, Montvid escaped Nazi custody and, after considerable effort and peril, made his way to that camp. There, against all odds, the family was reunited. Shortly after the war’s end, they boarded a ship bound for the United States, sponsored by the American Red Cross — carrying little more than survival, hope, and G.G.’s budding imagination.

Though G.G. possessed remarkable artistic talent from an early age, war left little room for childhood dreams. It was only after arriving in America that her gift for drawing and watercolor began to fully surface. By the age of sixteen, her abilities were undeniable, and she was soon working with Hallmark Cards, Inc., where her vibrant imagination found fertile ground. In 1984, she created “Rainbow Brite,” a character developed to launch a new line of children’s entertainment that blossomed into an animated television series, an animated movie special, and a popular toy line produced by Mattel. Her work during this era also included time with American Greetings Corporation, further cementing her place in the golden age of illustrated childhood wonder.

In the decades that followed, G.G.’s artistry evolved but never lost its playfulness. At Enesco, where she became departmental art director, she designed the beloved “My Little Kitchen Fairies” collection — whimsical, food-themed figurines that delighted collectors and home cooks alike. Later, working with Franz Porcelain Collection Inc., she brought a different, more intricate vision to life. Known for blending traditional Asian artistry with Art Nouveau-inspired design, Franz porcelain became her canvas for delicate vases, busts and figurines adorned with meticulously painted, Asian-inspired tattoos — pieces that often sell for five figures. It is even rumored that guitarist Carlos Santana requested one for his personal collection and was subsequently gifted one, a quiet testament to the reach of her talent.

G.G. always believed that her creativity was not merely a career, but salvation. She often reflected that God had allowed her artistic gift to become the very means by which her family rebuilt their lives in America. Fluent in German, Latvian, English and Spanish, she carried both the weight and richness of many cultures within her. Bubbly and gregarious in her earlier years, she later found comfort in smaller circles and deeper connections. Preceding her in death is her beloved husband Waldemar “Jesse” Santiago, whom G.G. married in 1974 in Bainbridge, Ohio. He passed away in Elkhart in 2007 after 26 wonderful years together. They were each other’s soulmates, and affectionately called each other “Lovie”.

Surviving G.G. is her son, Jaime Santiago of Bristol; her sister, Solvita (Scott) McMillan of Lakewood, Ohio; nieces Aubrey and Glenn Elyse McMillan; “honorary” grandson Christian Weber; and her best friend and devoted caregiver, Gena M. (Michael) Weber of Bristol. Though she met and worked with thousands throughout her life, in her later years she chose companionship among only those closest to her heart.

Those closest to her also included her cats — Teta, Nala, Louie, Twitch, and Schmutz — along with two Amazonian parrots who could deliver insults and make you laugh, a mischievous nod to her own personality. Outside her studio windows, birds and backyard critters gathered daily to receive her generous offerings of nuts and seeds, as if instinctively aware that they were in the presence of someone who had survived darkness and chosen instead to create light.

In accordance with G.G.’s final wish, a simple cremation will take place. Arrangements have been entrusted to Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Elkhart.

From a childhood shadowed by war to a life defined by color, whimsy, and intricate beauty, G.G. Santiago’s story was one of resilience, imagination, and quiet triumph. The little girl who once fled devastation grew into the woman who painted rainbows — and in doing so, left the world brighter than she found it.