Georgia O'Keefe's New Mexico

There's a haunting beauty to Georgia O'Keefe's beloved Ghost Ranch, located 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. O'Keefe bought a house and seven acres here, in 1938, where she lived for more than 50 years. 

Massive rock walls colored with wide mineral striations are topped with rock spires that jut into the brilliant blue sky. She painted most of her landscapes at the west end of the ranch, including the twisted juniper trees that also captured her interest.

But O'Keefe valued all kinds of natural beauty and purchased her second New Mexico property about seven years later. Located only 13 miles from Ghost Ranch, her other home and studio offered totally different panoramic views.

One of the earliest people to install picture windows, O'Keefe overlooked quiet mesas, mountain vistas, wide fields and spindly cacti from her simple, unadorned white bedroom, where her collected stones and bones lined the windowsill.

​Just as her natural surroundings shaped and inspired O'Keefe's art, her art captured the spirit of this wild and wonderful environment for generations to come.

​As seen at the Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, Kansas, during a special Georgia O'Keefe exhibit.
Note: As a travel writer, I received accommodations, entry fees, etc. while visiting these areas, in advance of reviews and/or profiles. I do my best to remain impartial and offer full disclosure to avoid potential conflicts of interest.