O'Keeffe: Teaching Us to See

Georgia O'Keeffe's "Blue and Green Music, 1919-1920" demonstrates how early 20th-century artists (Kandinski, Klee) used music as inspiration for visual expression. O'Keeffe believed that, like music, visual art could communicate emotions without needing representational subjects. In this particular piece, she used flowing, wave-like forms to create a visual parallel to musical rhythms and harmonies, while also reflecting patterns she observed in nature.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s explore the remarkable stories of female artists who didn’t just create art – they revolutionized it. These visionaries broke through barriers, challenged conventions, and paved the way for future generations of creators.

As The US Government is cancelling art shows at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington DC featuring artists of color and GLBTQ shows (The Art Newspaper), it is important to reinvigorate or support of underrepresented artists. This month we will look at the work of a female artists who impacted the art world. These female artists didn’t just create beautiful works – they opened doors. They showed us that art isn’t just about technical skill; it’s about having the courage to share your unique vision with the world. Their legacy reminds us that every creative voice matters, regardless of gender, background, or circumstance.

See

This Week: Georgia O'Keeffe

The Mother of American Modernism 🌸 Her massive flower paintings and stark landscapes didn’t just challenge scale – they challenged how we see the world. She was an early abstract artist who bridged the gap between realism and abstraction with her paintings of flowers. Fun fact: She was the first woman to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in 1946!

In our rush through life, we pass nature's masterpieces without a second glance. But O'Keeffe? She didn't just look at flowers – she SAW them. She magnified their delicate qualities into massive canvases that demanded attention, forcing even the most hurried New Yorkers to pause and wonder.

Think about it: When was the last time you really looked at a flower? Not a quick glance, but a deep, soul-stirring examination of every petal, every shadow, every subtle shift of color? O'Keeffe understood that "to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." In our modern world of quick scrolls and instant likes, her message rings truer than ever.

She didn't just paint flowers – she painted a revolution in seeing. Her work whispers (or rather, shouts) to us: Slow down. Look closer. See differently.

O'Keeffe is a master of Color and Movement

When you look at O'Keeffe's paintings it is difficult to keep your eye on a single aspect. She leads you around the painting so you see it entirely. Of course there are focal points in her work, but we don't get stuck there. Let's look at a few of her paintings and notice how she uses color, shape and line to guide us through her work.

First Look 🎯 Our eyes are naturally drawn to contrasts - it’s how our brains make sense of what we see. Those bold colors and dramatic shapes are like visual magnets, pulling our attention exactly where the artist wants us to look. What caught your eye first? Take a moment to notice your initial reaction.

The Journey Continues ➡️

Art is like a story - it guides us through the composition. Those gray building lines aren’t just structural elements; they’re like pathways for our eyes to follow. Watch how they create movement: • Do they pull your gaze upward? • Do they draw you down? • How do they lead you to those twinkling stars at the top?

Artist’s Toolkit 🎨

Let’s decode how the artist directs our attention:

• High contrast: Bold colors against each other create visual excitement

• Linear elements: Building lines work as directional guides

• Focal points: Stars at the top serve as a destination for our eyes

Here are a few more of O'Keeffe's artworks. Figure out how O'Keeffe uses Contrast and Movement to lead you around the artwork.

Look closely. Can you see where O'Keeffe added yellow and pink to this seemingly neutral painting? How does it help to create an emphasis (focal point) and movement?

This sculpture takes you on a ride! What natural form or object do you think inspired this abstract sculpture?

Where does your eye land first? Why? Then where does the artist take you in the painting? How?

Say

"I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from a single thing that I wanted to do." -Georgia O'Keeffe

• Think of a time when you were brave, describe it in detail. How did it feel?
• Which of O'Keeffe's artworks surprised you? Why?

The Freudian theory that her flower paintings were actually close studies of the female anatomy were first put forward in 1919 by Alfred Stieglitz, and reinforced by conservative male critics 100 years ago. O'Keeffe herself consistently rejected these reductive interpretations, maintaining that her work represented her authentic vision of natural forms. (The Guardian)

• What is your opinion about the controversy around O'Keeffe's flowers being sexual? What do you think?

Do

• Find or purchase a flower. Spend some time studying each petal one by one. Do they overlap? What is their texture? Are they multi-colored? How does shadow effect the color toward the center of the flower? What are the leaves like? Do they have smooth or jagged edges? Are the leaves symmetrical on the stem or do they alternate from side to side?

• Create a drawing of all or parts of this flower.
• Visit your local museums and seek out works by female artists
• Next time you look at an artwork:
  • Notice your first impression - where do your eyes land?
  • Follow the “visual arrows” - how does the composition guide you?
  • Look for the artist’s use of contrast and movement.

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About Georgia O’Keeffe

Born in 1887 near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, O’Keeffe decided to become an artist at age nine. She received formal art training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and New York’s Art Students League. After two years as a commercial illustrator, she spent seven years (1911–18) teaching in Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas, while continuing her own study.

O’Keeffe was strongly influenced by the ideas of Arthur Wesley Dow, who advocated simplifying forms as a means of capturing their essence and developing a personal style. In 1915, following her time with Dow, O’Keeffe destroyed all of her previous work. She returned to the basics, creating radical charcoal drawings that led directly to experiments with total abstraction.

In 1918, O’Keeffe moved to New York at the behest of influential photographer and art dealer, Alfred Stieglitz. Stieglitz gave O’Keeffe her first exhibition, and their professional relationship evolved into a personal one. Stieglitz’s sensuous photographs of O’Keeffe contributed to her persistent reputation as a painter of women’s sexuality, despite her vehement rejection of any such interpretations. In 1924, O’Keeffe married Stieglitz, and they lived in New York until his death 22 years later.

O’Keeffe settled in New Mexico, which she had visited even during Stieglitz’s lifetime. The dry, bright open spaces appealed to her immensely. She continued to paint there until her death at 98. Towards the end of her life, she painted with the help of an assistant due to increasing vision loss.

Yours in wonder,

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