Presenting…

The new book on Georgia O’Keeffe

The Concept:Long before Georgia O’Keeffe started

painting flowers or the great landscapes of the Southwest, she

explored total abstraction and monochrome palate beginning in

1912. She delved deep into the world of Zen Buddhist inspired art making to get to the very essence of thing, not an imitation, but the TRUTH...the Zen way

of seeing the world...

Georgia O’KeeffeJuly 19, 1915Georgia O'Keeffe during her time at the University of VirginiaPhotographer: Rufus W. Holsinger (1866–1930)

Georgia O’Keeffe: A Portrait –Hands and Watercolor by Alfred Stieglitz 1917

The book will explore her formative years…

Dead Rabbit and Copper Pot Georgia O’Keeffe, 1908

While studying at the Art Students League in New York, she won the League's William Merritt Chase still-life prize for her oil

painting. Despite the award, the traditional art education route left her searching for more inspiration…

The influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism began to permeate the Modern art

movement in France beginning in the 1860’s.

These artists began to paint The Buddha and explore new inspiration for their art:

~ Odilon Redon ~ Paul Gauguin

~ Vincent Van Gogh

The Buddha Odilon Redon, 1902

The Buddha Paul Gauguin, 1898

Young Buddha Odilon Redon, 1902

The Buddha and Nirvanna Odilon Redon 1902-1904

Masters of Japanese woodblock printing heavily influenced the modern artists working in Paris

Hokusai painting the Great Daruma in 1817

Cranes from Quick Lessons in Simplified Drawing

Vincent Van Gogh (R) copying Katsushika Hokusai (L)

Vincent Van Gogh often copied the Japanese Master, Katsushika Hokusai

Portrait of Père Tanguy, Vincent van Gogh, 1887

(note the Japanese paintings in background)

(2nd) Portrait of Père Tanguy, by Vincent van Gogh, 1887

(note the Japanese paintings in background)

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, an ukiyo-e woodblock print by Japanese artist, Katsushika Hokusai, c. 1830 -1833

Landscape by Zen Buddhist priest painter,

Sesshu Toyoc. 1500

Yoshitsune Falls, from the series Famous Waterfalls in

Various Provinces

Katsushika Hokusai, 1833

While studying at the Art Students League in NYC, Georgia attended the Auguste Rodin show of drawings in 1908 and meets

Stieglitz briefly. She will meet him again in 1916…

Nude by Auguste Rodin, c.1900 from Rodin Exhibition gallery 291, c. 1908

Stieglitz opened the first gallery in the U.S. to exhibit modern art. Gallery 291 was an apartment located at 291 5th Avenue. Photo c. 1908

Nude by Auguste Rodin, from Rodin Exhibition at 291

Photos of young Georgia O’Keeffe by photographer

(later husband)Alfred Stieglitz

Georgia O'Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz,1918

In 1914 she began her studies with Arthur

Westley Dow and she begins to experiment with

a monochrome palate

No. 13 Special, 1916/1917

Charcoal on paper

She later incorporate the color blue into her

works.

Kandinsky wrote a book in 1912,

Concerning the Spiritual in Art, in

which he claims blue is the color of spirituality

Blue No. 2 by O’Keeffe, 1916

Blue No. 1Georgia O’Keeffe, 1916

Blue Lines, 1916 Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe meets Alfred Stieglitz again…

Stieglitz is “the father of modern photography”, founder of gallery 291,

founder of Camera Work photographic journal, and

her future husband.

Self-portrait, 1887

The turning point:In 1914 Georgia studies with her mentor, Arthur

Westley Dow at Teachers College at

Columbia University.

Arthur Dow, artist and arts educator

Arthur Westley Dow by A. Coburn 1903

Crater Lake, oil on canvas, 1919 Arthur W. Dow

Arthur W. Dow by A. Coburn 1903

Arthur Dow’s associate and mentor:

Ernest F. FenollosaHe became the expert on

Japanese art working between Japan and Boston University

Arthur W. Dow published his revolutionary bookComposition, 1899

It explored Zen Buddhist inspired Japanese art making.

Exercise No. 66 on “No-tan” by Arthur W. Dow for Composition

Evening Star , Georgia O’Keeffe 1917

Georgia O’Keeffe moves to Amarillo, TX and paints the Texas landscape

In 1916 her friend Anita Pollitzer sends Alfred Stieglitz her work without her knowledge. Stieglitz tries to show the works at 291

without her permission. This begins their friendship….

Light Coming on the Plains Georgia O’Keeffe, 1917

Stieglitz shows these photos of O’Keeffe in a very controversial exhibition in NYC. Stieglitz later

leaves his wife and child and they get married.

Photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz in 1918.

Photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz in 1918.

Lessons in harmony, balance and

uncovering the truth in nature lead O’Keeffe to see the world around

her in a new light.

Black Iris O’Keeffe, 1926

Abstraction White Rose by Georgia O’Keeffe, 1927

Learn more about Georgia O’Keeffe:

Book Available: Amazon Kindle

Note: you do Not need a Kindle device to read it. Download a

Free Kindle Reader for any computer, tablet or phone.

Enjoy.

www.theartistorychannel.com

Sharon M. Fitzgerald, MA