Abiquiú became Georgia O'Keeffe's well-known New Mexico home and studio.
O'Keeffe purchased the Abiquiú property in 1945 and spent years restoring it. The adobe house had a distinctive black door opening onto a courtyard, a feature she repeatedly painted and described as an important subject. The home also provided a practical base for working in the landscape around northern New Mexico.
She had previously lived and worked at Ghost Ranch, about twelve miles from Abiquiú. Ghost Ranch remained significant to her, but the Abiquiú house became her principal home after its restoration. The building's architecture, walls, courtyard, and surrounding views all entered her artistic world.
Abiquiú is often confused with Santa Fe because the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is located in Santa Fe. O'Keeffe's house and studio are separate from that museum and are preserved as a historic site associated directly with her daily life and work.