Welcome to our collection of insightful quotes by the iconic American artist, Georgia O’Keeffe. Renowned for her bold and innovative approach to art, O’Keeffe’s work has left an indelible mark on the landscape of 20th-century American art. Through her unique interpretation of nature, flowers, and landscapes, she challenged conventions and brought forth a new perspective that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
Born in 1887, Georgia O’Keeffe’s artistic journey unfolded against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. Her pioneering spirit and unwavering dedication to her craft propelled her to the forefront of the American modernist movement. With her masterful use of color, form, and composition, O’Keeffe crafted paintings that transcended mere representation, inviting viewers to delve deeper into the essence of her subjects.
As we delve into the profound thoughts and reflections of Georgia O’Keeffe, we invite you to explore her words of wisdom, which resonate with creativity, passion, and a profound connection to the natural world. Discover her unique perspective on art, life, and the creative process, and perhaps find inspiration to embark on your own artistic journey. Below, you’ll find a curated selection of Georgia O’Keeffe quotes, ripe for contemplation and inspiration.
I said to myself, I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me – shapes and ideas so near to me – so natural to my way of being and thinking that it hasn’t occurred to me to put them down. Georgia O’Keeffe
I know now that most people are so closely concerned with themselves that they are not aware of their own individuality, I can see myself, and it has helped me to say what I want to say in paint. Georgia O’Keeffe
I had to create an equivalent for what I felt about what I was looking at – not copy it. Georgia O’Keeffe
Sun-bleached bones were most wonderful against the blue – that blue that will always be there as it is now after all man’s destruction is finished. Georgia O’Keeffe
I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could. Georgia O’Keeffe
To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage. Georgia O’Keeffe
I don’t very much enjoy looking at paintings in general. I know too much about them. I take them apart. Georgia O’Keeffe
It was all so far away – there was quiet and an untouched feel to the country and I could work as I pleased. Georgia O’Keeffe
Marks on paper are free – free speech – press – pictures all go together I suppose. Georgia O’Keeffe
One can not be an American by going about saying that one is an American. It is necessary to feel America, like America, love America and then work. Georgia O’Keeffe
I hate flowers – I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move. Georgia O’Keeffe
I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do. Georgia O’Keeffe
Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven’t time, and to see takes time – like to have a friend takes time. Georgia O’Keeffe
I often lay on that bench looking up into the tree, past the trunk and up into the branches. It was particularly fine at night with the stars above the tree. Georgia O’Keeffe
I decided to start anew, to strip away what I had been taught. Georgia O’Keeffe
It was in the 1920s, when nobody had time to reflect, that I saw a still-life painting with a flower that was perfectly exquisite, but so small you really could not appreciate it. Georgia O’Keeffe
I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me – shapes and ideas so near to me – so natural to my way of being and thinking that it hasn’t occurred to me to put them down. Georgia O’Keeffe
You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare. Georgia O’Keeffe
When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not. Georgia O’Keeffe
Anyone who doesn’t feel the crosses simply doesn’t get that country. Georgia O’Keeffe
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. Georgia O’Keeffe
I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for. Georgia O’Keeffe
The days you work are the best days. Georgia O’Keeffe
I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty. Georgia O’Keeffe
I feel there is something unexplored about woman that only a woman can explore. Georgia O’Keeffe
One can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt. Georgia O’Keeffe
I believe I would rather have Stieglitz like something – anything I had done – than anyone else I know. Georgia O’Keeffe