Georgia O'Keeffe found many animal bones for her paintings at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.
Ghost Ranch is a large area near Abiquiu known for colorful cliffs, mesas, and open desert terrain. O'Keeffe began visiting the region in the 1930s and later made it one of the most important landscapes in her work. She collected bones, rocks, and other objects while walking through the surrounding countryside.
Her paintings of cow skulls, pelvises, and other bones transformed ordinary remains into monumental forms. She often placed them against broad skies or simplified backgrounds, emphasizing shape, texture, and the contrast between fragile organic material and immense landscapes.
Ghost Ranch is not the same as O'Keeffe's Abiquiu home and studio. She owned a house at Ghost Ranch for periods of her life, while her Abiquiu compound became her principal home. Both sites are linked to her New Mexico work, which is why they are frequently confused.