Georgia O’Keefe, Jimson Weed 1936

Georgia O ’Keefe

Abstraction through Observation

Georgia O’Keefe, Abstraction 1919

Georgia O’Keefe is an important figure in American art from the 1920s.

She challenged many artistic conventions of her time by abstracting subjects she painted from life.

Georgia O’Keefe, Blue and Green Music 1921

O ’Keefe worked using strong shifts in value and clean, smooth surfaces.

Georgia O’Keefe, Grey Lines with Black, Yellow and Blue 1923

Georgia O’Keefe, Dark Abstraction 1924

By examining common, often natural objects from interesting perspectives and using unusual compositions she both painted from life and abstracted her subjects.

Georgia O’Keefe, Corn Dark 1924

Georgia O’Keefe, City Night 1926

In this piece she both simplifies the form and presents a view from below.

She carefully uses the entire composition space to create interest and abstraction.

Georgia O’Keefe, Morning Glory with Black No. 3 1926

Georgia O’Keefe, Abstraction White Rose 1927

Georgia O’Keefe, Black Iris 1926

Georgia O’Keefe, Shell and Old Shingle No. I 1927

Georgia O’Keefe, Shell and Shingle No. III 1926

Georgia O’Keefe, Shell and Shingle No. IV 1927

Georgia O’Keefe, Shell and Old Shingle No. II 1926

Georgia O’Keefe, Brown and Tan Leaves 1928

Georgia O’Keefe, Calla Lily on Grey 1928

Georgia O’Keefe, The White Flower 1932

Georgia O’Keefe, Jimson Weed 1932

Georgia O’Keefe, Grey Hills II 1936Notice how similar this painting is to her close-up

flower paintings. The lines and the shadows of the hills in this painting relate to the lines and shadows in her previous paintings. This is accomplished by allowing the landscape to use the page in the same

way that the flowers do.

Georgia O’Keefe, My Red Hills 1938

Georgia O’Keefe, Pelvis Bone IV1943

Georgia O’Keefe, Pelvis Bone II1944

This composition makes this pelvis bone seem otherworldly and abstract, but notice how well observed the shadows and surfaces are.

Georgia O’Keefe, Pelvis with Shadows and the Moon 1943This pelvis also feels abstract, but the attention to tonal shifts in the shadows is key-- this is a well observed still life!

Georgia O’Keefe, Red Hills and Sky1945

Georgia O’Keefe, Pelvis with Distance 1943

Georgia O’Keefe, Patio with Black Door 1955

Abstraction Through Observation: In Class

Assignment

For the next two classes you will work on S an accurate drawing from life that

manages to abstract the subject through composition, scale, and perspective.

You may pick an object I provide, or find something in nature outside of the

classroom.

Using your white or grey paper, you will spend this class and Thursday working on

this drawing in the medium of your choice.

Although we are abstracting these objects we are only doing so through composition and perspective-- the drawing should be an accurate representation of the portion

of the object you choose to draw.