Georgia O'Keeffe began visiting Ghost Ranch in 1934 and made it a frequent subject.
Ghost Ranch is a dramatic retreat near Abiquiú in northern New Mexico, known for its red cliffs, mesas, and broad desert views. O'Keeffe had already visited New Mexico several times since 1929, but Ghost Ranch became especially important after she began spending extended periods there in the 1930s.
She painted the surrounding terrain in works that emphasize bones, cliffs, roads, and expansive skies. One of the best-known related motifs is the landscape around Cerro Pedernal, a flat-topped mountain she painted repeatedly. O'Keeffe once said that the mountain was her private symbol because it was the first thing she saw each morning and the last thing she saw at night.
Ghost Ranch is not the same as O'Keeffe's Abiquiú home. The two places are nearby but distinct, and both contributed to her enduring association with northern New Mexico.