Ghost Ranch became one of Georgia O'Keeffe's most important sources of inspiration in New Mexico.
She first visited the area in 1934 and returned repeatedly to paint its dramatic cliffs, mesas, and desert surroundings. The landscape near Abiquiu offered the strong shapes and intense colors that suited her approach to simplifying natural forms.
O'Keeffe made Ghost Ranch part of her personal and artistic geography, often painting the same formations from different viewpoints and at different times. The area's red cliffs are especially associated with her New Mexico paintings.
Ghost Ranch is sometimes confused with O'Keeffe's Abiquiu home, which was another major location in her life. The two places are related geographically but are distinct sites. Ghost Ranch is now a retreat and education center in northern New Mexico.