This series of images was inspired by a chance encounter with a scene in the Utah badlands in 2023 that instantly reminded me of Georgia O'Keeffe's work in the deserts of New Mexico. It set a series of events in motion over 3 years including visits to the O'Keeffe Museum, a tour of her home in Abiquiu, time on her Ghost Ranch property, and finally multiple visits back to the region in Utah that prompted this body of work.
Key characteristics of O'Keeffe's paintings that guided my own work include:
1. Bold, simplified forms distilling the landscape into strong, simple shapes, emphasizing the sculptural quality of the landscape.
2. Vivid, earthy colors featuring warm reds, oranges, and ochres of the desert, contrasted with cool blues and purples.
3. Organic and abstracted landscapes transforming mesas, cliffs, and hills into abstract compositions, blurring the line between realism and abstraction.
4. Elements that convey a spiritual connection to the land.
Key characteristics of O'Keeffe's paintings that guided my own work include:
1. Bold, simplified forms distilling the landscape into strong, simple shapes, emphasizing the sculptural quality of the landscape.
2. Vivid, earthy colors featuring warm reds, oranges, and ochres of the desert, contrasted with cool blues and purples.
3. Organic and abstracted landscapes transforming mesas, cliffs, and hills into abstract compositions, blurring the line between realism and abstraction.
4. Elements that convey a spiritual connection to the land.
George Kalantzes Photography LLC