Ghost Ranch became one of Georgia O'Keeffe's homes and a major source of subject matter. The retreat lies near Abiquiú in northern New Mexico, amid dramatic cliffs and high-desert terrain.
O'Keeffe first visited the area in the 1930s and rented a house there before eventually acquiring it. She painted the surrounding cliffs, ranch buildings, roads, skies, and distinctive geological formations many times.
The landscape's layered colors and sharply defined forms suited her interest in simplifying nature into powerful shapes. The red and yellow cliffs around Ghost Ranch became especially recognizable in paintings associated with her New Mexico period.
Ghost Ranch is sometimes confused with Abiquiú, another nearby place closely linked to O'Keeffe. They are not the same location: Ghost Ranch is the larger retreat area, while Abiquiú was the village where she also maintained a home and studio.