A Visit to O’Keeffe’s
An illustrated story of my visit to Georgia O'Keeffe's home and studio in northern New Mexico.
O’Keeffe’s home and studio is in a northern New Mexico village with no paved roads. The tour office, located next to the local inn, is a 5 minute drive from her home. Visitors travel together by shuttle up to the property to reduce impact on the village.
The front gate to O'Keeffe's home, which she drove through upon arrival.
The landscape is so O'Keeffe-esque—you can't help but see her color palette, shapes and light everywhere.
This is one wall of O’Keeffe’s pantry with recessed shelving in the adobe wall.
Everything is where she left it.
The infamous Georgia O'Keeffe doorway. She painted it dozens of times and it was a big reason why she wanted this house in particular, so badly that she fought for over 15 years to buy it from the Catholic Church.
Here, our tour guide Barbara is standing in O'Keeffe's backyard; her studio and bedroom windows look out to this panorama. The small mound of dirt behind Barbara is O'Keeffe's fallout shelter stocked with 4 cots, food and water, which she built due to how close she lived to atomic bomb test sites.
O'Keeffe had a passion for gardening and growing her own food. An apple tree, peach tree, cauliflower, herbs of all kinds, lettuces, everything. She had the same gardener for 30 years and his son is now in his place. Today, her garden's produce is taken home by workers and local high school kids who work here as part of a school program. The 300-400 pounds of what is left over is donated to the local food bank every year. Georgia is alive on this property and still giving back.
Back wall of the kitchen. The most compelling thing I heard was about the two plants in the kitchen. They were O’Keeffe’s plants, and staff have kept them alive over 30 years since her death. One more way you know her spirit is still alive here.
