1. Presenting Georgia O’Keeffe
Art Masterpiece
Presenting
Georgia O’Keeffe
Today, we will learn about the artist Georgia O’Keeffe. She was best known for her flower paintings that were said to be “Larger than life”.

2. Georgia O’Keeffe
Here is a portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe taken in 1918 when she was 31 years old.

3. Georgia grew up on a farm in Wisconsin.
Georgia was born in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin on November 15, O’Keeffe was one of seven children and grew up on a farm. Georgia spent a great deal of time alone as a child. She was very independent and usually did not do things the other children did. In fact, throughout her life she rebelled against being like anyone else.

4. Studied art in Chicago, New York, and Virginia.
Relocated to Texas to teach art.
At the age of eighteen O’Keeffe studied at The Art Institute of Chicago and then later at the Art Students League in New York. Georgia was dissatisfied with the teaching methods of art at these schools. As result, Georgia left New York and enrolled at the University of Virginia where she found a teacher that taught art principles she agreed with. After attending the University of Virginia, Georgia took a teaching job in Texas.

5. Professional Recognition
Paintings exhibited in 1915
In 1915, O’Keeffe’s paintings were displayed in a gallery owned by the well-known New York photographer named Alfred Stieglitz. This exhibit brought Georgia recognition as her paintings became publicly well-known. Georgia married Alfred Stieglitz nine years later and resided with him in New York where she continued to paint the lovely views from her home. Georgia also traveled to New Mexico each summer which was a source of inspiration for her paintings. After Georgia’s husband passed away, she moved to New Mexico permanently.

6. Artistic Characteristics
Abstract Images
Larger-than-live paintings
Used flowers, rocks, landscapes as subjects
More imaginative than realistic
Georgia O’Keeffe wanted to paint things that were important to her and to use beautiful colors. O’Keeffe felt it was more important to use her imagination in her paintings rather than paint pictures that were very realistic. Her paintings were generally larger-than-live pictures of flowers, rocks, and landscapes. She often transformed her subject matter into powerful abstract images.

7. “Light Iris”
This painting titled “Light Iris” was completed by O’Keeffe in 1924 and was one of nearly 900 paintings that Georgia completed throughout her career. This painting showcases Georgia’s favorite subject which was flowers. Many times she would paint flowers very close-up to show the beauty of the flower in a new light.