Ghost Ranch became a recurring subject in Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings.
Ghost Ranch is a dramatic area near Abiquiú in northern New Mexico, known for colorful cliffs, mesas, and expansive high-desert views. O'Keeffe first visited the area in 1934 and returned frequently, finding subjects in its geological formations and changing light.
She painted parts of the landscape repeatedly, including the cliffs known as the Cerro Pedernal. The mesa became one of her signature motifs, and she once said that it was her private mountain, even though it belonged to no one person.
Ghost Ranch is not the same place as O'Keeffe's home and studio in nearby Abiquiú. The ranch is now an education and retreat center, while the Abiquiú property is preserved and interpreted through the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.