Museum intern visits an artist's favorite landscape

Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, N.M., is one of those places that cannot be described with mere words. Even photos usually fail to do the red rocks and wide, blue sky justice. Georgia O’Keeffe, however, managed flawlessly to capture in her paintings the serenity and overwhelming sense of enchantment that the landscape evokes. From 1934 to 1984, the artist called Abiquiu home during the summers until the ranch became her permanent place of residence. In those years, O’Keeffe painted the multicolored cliffs and sun-bleached desert bones that she found, showing off the land in a way no photo or description ever could.

During a pseudo cross-country adventure last week, I [PR intern Mimi Hubbard] vowed to take advantage of the culture and art that each destination provided. I toured centuries-old Acoma Pueblo Missions that housed perfectly preserved religious murals and paintings, gawked at lovingly crafted pottery and bargained for baskets and jewelry. At the end of the trip, Ghost Ranch and its expansive landscape remained at the forefront of my memory. It is easy to see why O’Keeffe loved this place so much.

Although the land is best appreciated in person or through O’Keeffe’s art, these photos should give you some sense of the beauty of the landscape. You may also view her paintings at www.okeeffemuseum.org.