Dorothy Newkirk Stewart:Santa Fe Artist and Printmaker

Another important lesson that Dorothy has taught me is to really “see” my surroundings. I’ve always looked for vignettes when I take photographs, but to wander the Piedra Lumbre lands with an eye for what another artist saw was enlightening.

I’ve read about Ghost Ranch for years, long before I had any interest in art. When I was seeking a solution to my personal challenges, I looked into a wellness retreat held at the Ranch back in the late 90s. But at the time, the cost was not in my budget.

So to be here now as a sober woman, not seeking answers,but simply seeking presence, is an example of one of those miracles that continues to surprise me again and again.

I uncharacteristically booked a sunset trail ride through the desert surrounding Georgia O’Keeffe’s casita, Rancho de los Burros. For those who know me –know how frugal, dare I say tight –I am with spending money, you know that is a big deal.

Although I wanted a fast paced exciting Hollywood Western movie experience, instead what I found was a peaceful amble through the desert. Walking slowly and deliberately in singe line, the horses dutifully followed the leader, slowly passing through the landscape that Georgia O’Keeffe’s captured in her iconic way.

Listed below are the paintings that correspond with those magical spots.

Georgia O’Keeffe. Cliffs Beyond Abiquiu, Dry Waterfall, 1943. Oil on canvas, 30 x 16 in. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Georgia O’Keeffe, 1987.141.

Georgia O’Keeffe, My Back Yard, 1943. Courtesy of the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Cliff Chimneys, Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986). The Cliff Chimneys, 1938. Oil on canvas, Milwaukee Art Museum. Copyright Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.