Georgia O’Keeffe 1887-1986

Georgia O'Keeffe was born on November 15, 1887, the second of seven children, and grew up on a farm in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. By the time she graduated from high school in 1905, O'Keeffe had determined to make her way as an artist.

Her early works were very abstract. After receiving her diploma in 1905 she for left Chicago to live with an aunt and attend the Art Institute of Chicago. Her early works were very abstract.

Early in 1916, Alfred Stieglitz, famous photographer and gallery owner caught interest in O’Keeffe’s work.

She was encouraged by Stieglitz to return to New York She was encouraged by Stieglitz to return to New York. By this time he had fallen in love with Georgia and wanted to pursue a relationship.

Shortly after her arrival, Alfred took Georgia up to the Stieglitz family home at Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains.

During the long winter months in New York she began to paint her very large flowers, some of her most popular work today. She completed her first enormous flower painting in 1924.

"Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not."

The giant flower paintings were first exhibited in 1925 The giant flower paintings were first exhibited in 1925. A Calla Lily painting would sell for $25,000.

In 1925 she and Stieglitz moved to the Shelton Hotel in New York, taking an apartment on the 30th floor of the new building. With a spectacular view, Georgia began to paint the city.

In May of 1929, Georgia would set out by train with her friend Beck Strand to Taos, New Mexico...a trip that would forever change her life.

During Georgia's second summer in New Mexico she began collecting the dry, white animal bones scattered over the desert. She would crate up many of them and ship them to Lake George so that she could study and paint the bones later.

"The bones seem to cut sharply to the center of something that is keenly alive on the desert even tho' it is vast and empty and untouchable...and knows no kindness with all it's beauty."

In 1971 Georgia became aware that her eyesight was failing In 1971 Georgia became aware that her eyesight was failing. At the age of 84, she was losing her central vision and only had peripheral sight...an irreversible eye degeneration disease. She would stop painting in 1972. She later dabbled in pottery, and had a large kiln installed at the ranch for firing pots.

Georgia became increasingly frail in her late 90's and moved to Santa Fe where she would die on March 6, 1986, at the age of 98. 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 am gone. ---Georgia O'Keeffe

New Term Scale: Refers to the size of an object in relation to another object Georgia O’Keeffe painted her flowers in a large scale, zoomed in to show details

Positive/Negative Space Positive Space: the subject in the artwork Negative Space: the space around the subject in the artwork

Realism Realism refers to a mid nineteenth century artistic movement characterized by subjects painted from everyday life in a naturalistic manner; however the term is also generally used to describe artworks painted in a realistic almost photographic way Georgia O’Keeffe painted in a realistic manner. Objects were true to their color and shape.

Term Review Composition is the placement or arrangement of the elements in a work of art In Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings she used the entire surface.

Medium Georgia O’Keeffe used paint for her flowers but for our project we will use oil pastels. Oil pastels are like crayons but they are made with oil instead of wax They are difficult to blend by rubbing They create very bright colors They will stain your clothes

Project Create a large scale flower drawing like Georgia O’Keeffe. You may use Georgia’s paintings as a reference or use a flower reference you have found. It must be of a flower and it must be zoomed in to where there isn’t any negative space showing or very little. Be creative with your color choice and blending of colors. The color needs to realistic to the kind of flower you choose. Use more than one color in your petals and sections of your flower to create depth. The drawing is due on Friday, September 21st.

Student examples Jordan Georgia O’Keeffe Ansley Hannah

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Flowers Savanna Tristen