Georgia O'Keeffe is often associated with New York, but her most iconic work was inspired by the desert landscape of New Mexico. In 1934, she discovered 'Ghost Ranch,' a remote area north of Abiquiú. She was captivated by the red cliffs, the vast skies, and the bleached animal bones she found in the desert. O'Keeffe viewed these bones not as symbols of death, but as beautiful shapes that represented the enduring spirit of the desert. She would often haul bones back to her studio or even use her car as a mobile studio to escape the heat while painting. Her work moved away from the magnified flowers of her early career toward 'precisionist' landscapes that captured the raw, spiritual essence of the American West. She lived in New Mexico until her death at age 98, becoming a living symbol of artistic independence and environmental connection.