Georgia O’Keeffe 1918By Lisa Catherine Brown

I first became tuned in to Georgia O’Keeffe when I bought A Painter’s Kitchen in 1991. It was the first time I read a cookbook for the narrative, rather than for recipes.

Of course, I had known of Georgia O’Keeffe and her art and the critiques that her abstract realism flower paintings were nothing more than scandalous up close and personal versions of female vulvas, but that knowing was the extent of my experience of the late great artist at the time of the early 90’s.

Black IrisBaking casseroles and zucchini bread for my household of six, I really had no time or inclination to invest myself debating the sexual abstractions of Georgia O’Keefe, no matter how much I admired her work. I only knew that any artist, who would find herself inspired by long-dead, bleached bones found in bleak desert scrub and then give them respect with justice through the time and gift of her talent, was okay in my book.

The fact the she created (intentionally or not!) sensuality and sexuality within her images also affirmed my belief that untamed feminine qualities are an intrinsic part of all life created within Mother Earth and Father Sky. Both entities deserve recognition, respect and are worthy of most devout reverence.

1936 Oil on Canvas

1970 Black Rock with Blue IIIIn A Painter’s Kitchen I read about Ghost Ranch, purchased in 1940 and the Abiquiu house she bought nearby in 1945. Now she wouldn’t have to travel the seventy dusty, desert miles into Santa Fe for fresh food. The property had water rights which allowed her to renovate the land as well as the crumbling adobe hacienda. She introduced herbs, vegetables, flowers and planted fruit trees to the once meager gardens.

I learned that Georgia O’Keeffe had acquired a visionary perspective that did not just lead her on missions of love and transformation for her properties. (Watch the video on the Abiquiu link above – truly you will feel why and how she was drawn and her heart devoted to this neglected piece of land!)

O’Keefe’s love of the natural world — coupled with her love, awareness and respect for herself — had driven her art and developed her eye and passion for landscapes, natural found elements, color and contrast and later skyscapes and sculpture.

“Such a beautiful, untouched lonely feeling place, such a fine part of what I call the ‘Faraway’. It is a place I have painted before … even now I must do it again.”

1930 View from My Studio

Sky Above Clouds Yellow Horizon

Sculpture in Roofless Room (Abiquiu) 1981Georgia O’Keefe was my introduction into a natural, sustainable lifestyle. She understood and loved the barren landscape, the minimalist values that supports earth and leaves us with room in our hearts for grandeur ideas of compassion and beauty for the world that surrounds us.

Photo by Yousef KarshThe gardens of herbs, vegetables and fruit trees and flowers she so lovingly and practically created at Abiquiu are now owned and operated by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum with visitor tours available. Her first New Mexico property, Ghost Ranch, is not open to the public but used as an Education and Research Center.

Currently the Museum in Santa Fe, NM, is offering the exhibit O’Keeffiana Art and Art Materials which explores O’Keeffes use of materials, mediums, her simplistic approach that underpinned her art by comparing her initial line drawings or Polaroid photographs to the completed works. She worked from the same simplistic value system that she lived by.

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum has a conservation plan to preserve, research and archive O’Keeffe’s works and properties, her techniques, use of mediums and protect her legacy.

“When I think of death, I only regret that I will not be able to see this beautiful country anymore…unless the Indians are right and my spirit will walk here after I’m gone.”

I, for one, believe the Indians are right and I’d bet O’K is still cooking on all burners. Lisa