What was Georgia O'Keeffe's profession before she became a full-time artist?

Georgia O'Keeffe worked as an art teacher before becoming a full-time artist.

O'Keeffe taught art in schools in Texas, Virginia, and South Carolina during the early part of her career. Teaching provided income while she developed the simplified forms and abstract compositions that later brought her national attention.

From 1916 to 1918, she taught at West Texas State Normal College in Canyon, Texas. She also taught at the University of Virginia's summer school and other institutions. Her experiences in Texas helped connect her with the landscapes that would later inform her art.

O'Keeffe is sometimes described as having become famous immediately after her 1916 charcoal drawings, but her professional path was more gradual. She continued teaching until recognition and sales made full-time art possible.