Georgia O’Keeffe’s pastels, photo by Annie Liebowitz
Ghost Ranch, home of Georgia O’Keeffe
I could stare and stare at these pastels, made by Georgia O’Keeffe, infused with the natural landscape for their color and shade. I see her walking across the northern New Mexico landscape, dressed in jeans or the dresses she favored. The crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her shoes, the scent of juniper and piñon, the cornflower blue bowl of sky above, her eyes scan the land, taking in each subtle shade and nuance. What did she use to create all those shades of bone for her skulls?
The grooves of each pastel evokes images of the piece held between her fingers, as she contemplates the canvas. And, then those iconic hands brush and stroke.
Calling All Artists – I’ve become aware of the number of accomplished artists in our Dewdrops community. A few pieces ago, the writers in our community shared their writing spaces. This is an invitation to artists to please share your artwork with our community. Artists among us include sculptors, painters, musicians, jewelers, photographers, opera singers, ceramicists, visual poets, potters, and many more mediums. Please share the beauty of your art. Send a photo and a bit about what your journey with art means to you. If you have a website, please include that, so I can share the link. Send to me at dawn@dawnwink.com.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe said about her art:
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.”
“I often painted fragments of things, because it seemed to make my statement as well, or better, than the whole could.”
“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.”
“Singing has always seemed to me the most perfect means of expression. It is so spontaneous. And after singing, I think the violin. Since I cannot sing, I paint.”
If you sing, paint, draw, sculpt, create jewelry, create ceramics, bead, sketch, photograph, or any of the other infinite ways of creating art, please share that beauty with us.
A marvelous word I just discovered – “caim – (n.) lit. “sanctuary”; an invisible circle of protection drawn around the body with the hand, that reminds you that you are safe and loved, even in the darkest times.” May we all experience caim.
Red Poppy, Georgia O’Keeffe
Dawn Wink: Dewdrops 
February 18, 2013 at 10:30 pm
I do tatting, an ancient form of lacemaking. It helps get the itchy twitchy out of my idle hands.
February 18, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Dear Heather, I have such wonderful images and memories of tatting. My great grandmother’s both tatted – what an art! I have various tatted treasures from women of my family around the house. Thank you so much for sharing this art and all of the heritage and women’s stories that come with that fine lace. All my best, Dawn
February 18, 2013 at 3:06 pm
So very beautiful…..to almost all the senses…if I try I can smell fresh air and flowers! Thanks for sharing…it is very soothing and inspirational.
Sent from my iPad
February 18, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Dear Nancy, Oh, so glad you can smell the fresh air and flowers! I just love Georgia O’Keeffe’s images and flowers, as well. Love to you
February 14, 2013 at 11:24 pm
Not something I can do, unless of course, stick people count or I could take a picture of something one of my talented children have done and pretend it’s mine, but I fear I’d get called out.
February 15, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Brenda, 🙂 Passionate Pursuits stick figures sound grand to me! xox
February 14, 2013 at 8:21 am
Thank you, Dawn! I love the community you create here at your blog. Just sent mine to you. Thank you!
February 15, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Jennifer, Thank you for bringing such gorgeous energy, spirit, photos, and prose to our community. xoxo
February 13, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I too am fascinated by Georgia O’Keefe’s pastels. It’s wonderful they were preserved.
February 15, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Pete, I agree that those pastels just draw you in deeper and deeper and hold you. Wonderful to share that experience.
February 13, 2013 at 2:33 am
Beautiful prose and images, Dawn!
February 15, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Denise, thank you so much. And congratulations on your own thrilling new chapter of an artful life!
February 12, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Ghost Ranch is one of my favorite places. I walked the Labyrinth there, very special, very spiritual. The photo above of Georgia O’Keefe’s pastels is fascinating, the range in the palette, the colored dust, the wooden box, the worn sticks (we know where they went!). The photo of her outdoors with a painting and the New Mexico landscape behind her is especially beautiful. What art means to me as a fiction writer is a stretching of my world of words. And something magical, too. Something about color and magic.
February 15, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Penny, Oh, thank you for sharing your memories of Ghost Ranch. I love the thought of you there, walking the Labyrinth. How beautifully you express this, “What art means to me as a fiction writer is a stretching of my world of words. And something magical, too. Something about color and magic.” Thank you for sharing this vision. xo
February 12, 2013 at 3:06 pm
My visual art is in my garden, under loads of weeds and debris. I think today I’ll spend some time tending to it, and when it blooms, I’ll send an image to you. Patience.
February 12, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Oh, your garden, mamawolfe. True art…and patience. 🙂 Love the thought of you out there tending it today.
February 12, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Thank you Dawn, for your rich sensabilities!!!! Definitely working in the studio today! Inspired! xoxAmy
February 12, 2013 at 3:01 pm
Hey dear Amy, Looking forward to sharing some of your gorgeous art! xox
February 12, 2013 at 2:43 pm
great.
February 12, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Gorgeous!!
February 12, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Thanks, Mom. 🙂 xox