My Northern New Mexico Love Affair: O'Keeffe Country

From her first visit to New Mexico the natural landscape, with its blend of indigenous and Hispanic cultures, captivated renowned artist, Georgia O'Keeffe. By 1929, she called northern New Mexico home, each summer. Twenty years later, upon her husband's death in New York, O'Keeffe became a permanent resident of the state.

​There is haunting natural beauty at O'Keeffe's Ghost Ranch property. Sixty-five miles northwest of Santa Fe, it functioned as her summer home. Rock spires thrust into the brilliant blue sky atop massive rock walls colored with wide mineral striations. 

O'Keeffe bought this house and surrounding acreage, and then occupied the property for decades. She painted many of her landscapes at the west end of the ranch, including numerous, naturally twisted juniper trees. 

O’Keeffe’s other New Mexico property, in Abiquiú, is only 12 miles from Ghost Ranch, and more suitable for year-round occupancy. Here she looked out massive picture windows onto quiet mesas, mountain vistas, and wide fields from her simple, unadorned white bedroom, where stones and bones lined the windowsill. 

With construction of some rooms likely dating to the 1700s, the property combines indigenous and Spanish Colonial architecture influences. After a four-year renovation of the 5,000-square-foot buildings and courtyards, O’Keeffe adopted the Abiquiú property as her primary home.

​Since 1998, the artist’s O’Keeffe Home and Studio has been a designated National Historic Landmark.

​Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I may have received accommodations and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this post, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.