Known for her large-scale paintings of flowers and the New Mexican landscape, Georgia O’Keeffe was a groundbreaking artist of the 20th century who heavily influenced American Modernism. She trained at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League of New York before teaching art in West Texas for two years, and in 1929, she made her first trip to New Mexico. Inspired by the desert landscape and Native American and Hispanic cultures, O’Keeffe spent the next 20 years summering and painting in the Land of Enchantment, making it her permanent home in 1949 after the death of her husband, renowned photographer and art dealer Alfred Stieglitz.
And while she spent most of her time in New Mexico, Texas left an impression on O’Keeffe, who agreed to showcase her works at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in 1966 with Georgia O’Keeffe: An Exhibition of the Work of the Artist from 1915 to 1966. The museum director at the time, Mitchell Wilder, knew O’Keeffe personally and, in 1964, arranged an introduction between O’Keeffe and the museum’s founder, Ruth Carter Stevenson. After traveling to O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiu, New Mexico, Stevenson and O’Keeffe developed a friendly rapport, and O’Keeffe agreed to an exhibition, which included a multitude of her paintings of abstracts, flowers, landscapes, and animal bones.
Georgia O’Keeffe and the Carter
Opening this weekend, the Amon Carter Museum’s newest exhibition, Georgia O’Keeffe and the Carter, highlights the museum’s O’Keeffe collection while bringing in other objects that show her relationship with the Carter.
“This exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the Carter’s foundational role in championing living American artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, whose work helped shape the course of American modernism,” Shirley Reece-Hughes, the curator for this exhibition, tells PaperCity. “It also underscores a pivotal moment in the museum’s early history — when O’Keeffe traveled to Texas to install her retrospective, participate in interviews, and attend the opening reception.”
In addition to photographs and letters, several other materials on view show O’Keeffe’s connection to the museum. There’s a rare edition of Camera Work, Alfred Stieglitz’s photographic publication, that is displayed and opened to a review of O’Keeffe’s first solo exhibition at Stieglitz’s 291 gallery in New York City, and the April 1963 issue of House Beautiful, which features Laura Gilpin’s photographs of O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiu, New Mexico.
Alongside the magazine are original black-and-white prints by Gilpin taken for the article. Reflecting their personal relationship, the exhibition also features a handwritten card from O’Keeffe to Gilpin, congratulating her on the publication of her 1968 book The Enduring Navajo. In total, there are approximately 20 art objects on display — including paintings, works on paper, and photographs — and about 15 archival materials such as letters, journals, and personal correspondence.
“Together, these works illuminate Georgia O’Keeffe’s relationship with the Carter, as well as her connections with artists in her immediate circle, including Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Eliot Porter, and Laura Gilpin,” says Reece-Hughes.
“The Carter became one of the first institutions committed to preserving both O’Keeffe’s legacy and the broader story of early American modernism,” says Reece-Hughes. “For Fort Worth audiences, this exhibition is not only an opportunity to experience iconic works up close, but also to celebrate the city’s lasting connection to one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.”
The exhibition opens on September 27 and runs for two years. Admission is free. While there is construction on Camp Bowie through 2026, the Carter’s parking lot is still accessible.