Georgia O'Keeffe made her first extended visit to New Mexico in 1929.
She traveled there with her friend Rebecca Strand and spent the summer painting. The region’s dramatic landscapes, adobe architecture, churches, and animal bones became enduring subjects in her art.
O'Keeffe had visited New Mexico before 1929, but that summer began a recurring pattern: she returned regularly, often working there for part of the year while maintaining her New York connections. The landscape eventually became central to her artistic identity.
The year is sometimes described as the date she “moved” to New Mexico, but that wording can be misleading. Her permanent relocation came later; 1929 marks the beginning of her extended annual visits and the decisive turn toward Southwestern subjects.