Ghost Ranch became a recurring subject in Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings and a base for her work.
O'Keeffe first visited New Mexico in 1917 and returned frequently. She began spending summers at Ghost Ranch in 1934, attracted by its dramatic cliffs, arid colors, and expansive views.
The area lies north of Abiquiú in Rio Arriba County. Its formations appear in paintings such as works depicting the red hills and the Pedernal mountain. O'Keeffe often treated the landscape as a set of abstract shapes rather than as a conventional scenic view.
Ghost Ranch is sometimes confused with Abiquiú, where O'Keeffe also maintained a home. Both places were central to her New Mexico life, but Ghost Ranch was the distinctive landscape and retreat that repeatedly entered her paintings.