The Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe

The Life and Art

of

Georgia O'Keeffe

by

Jill Herndon

Georgia O'Keeffe was born on November 15, 1887  and grew up on a farm in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. As a child she took art lessons at home, and her abilities were quickly recognized and encouraged by teachers throughout her school years. By the time she graduated from high school in 1905, O'Keeffe was determined to become an artist.

Her earlier paintings were  realistic and true to life. However, she felt  that anyone could paint like this and wanted to do something unique and different.

She often painted flowers and used a “bugs eye” view.  This view was so close that the image became “Abstract”.

Abstractions are paintings that show very little detail and are simplified images.

She also painted landscapes , shells, bones and other  natural and architectural forms.

She lived most of her life at her Ghost Ranch house near Taos, New Mexico. Her later paintings were all abstract. She continued working in oil until the mid 1970’s.  She worked in pencil and watercolor until 1982. She lived to be the age of 98.