Georgia O’Keefe (American, 1887-1986)
Georgia O’Keeffe gained stardom in the art world primarily for her paintings of flowers, New Mexico landscapes, and New York skyscrapers. Considered a pioneer of American Modernism, she worked apart from major artistic trends and relied on her own vision based on identifying the fundamental, abstract aspects of nature. She captured delicate variations of color, shape, and light that enlivened her paintings and have continued to attract admirers.
O’Keeffe was born near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Students League of New York, the University of Virginia, and Columbia University. She created charcoal drawings during her time as an instructor at numerous elementary schools, high schools, and colleges in Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina. O’Keeffe was connected with some of America’s most renowned early Modernists as the partner of photographer Alfred Stieglitz. Their circle included major artists of the day, such as Charles Demuth, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Paul Strand, and Edward J. Steichen, as well as prominent art critics and writers.
