O’Keeffe Country through the Expressive Lens

Step into the dramatic landscapes that shaped the vision of painter Georgia O’Keeffe and bring to light the enduring spirit of the high desert in northern New Mexico. From the adobe-lined streets of Santa Fe to the red cliffs of Abiquiú, the wide-open skies of Ghost Ranch, and the high mountains of Taos, this workshop with Renee Lynn traces the creative footsteps of the “Mother of American Modernism.”

These iconic places—painted again and again by O’Keeffe for their stark beauty, bold color palettes, and abstracted forms—continue to stir the imagination. The region, deeply rooted in Native American, Spanish, and European histories, offers a rich tapestry of culture, myth, and land that speaks to artists from around the world.

This workshop is an invitation to reflect, connect deeply to place, and create with intention. Through expressive photographic techniques such as intentional camera movement, in-camera multiple exposures, and layering of images, you develop a more intuitive and personal visual language. Guided field sessions, creative exercises, and immersive exploration supports your growth as an artist while you respond to the land through impressionistic and abstract imagery.

Workshop Highlights:

• Visit the O’Keeffe Museum for a private, professionally guided tour.
• Take a docent-led tour of O’Keeffe’s private home and studio in Abiquiú.
• Photograph the dramatic landscapes of Ghost Ranch by private tour, including short walks through the arroyos to view Cerro Pedernal and the signature mesas O’Keeffe once painted.
• Explore the luminous white cliffs of Plaza Blanca and the tranquil Rio Chama valley.
• Experience Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Stay in an inspiring artist haven: Three nights at the serene Abiquiú Inn. 
• Lunch at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, the artistic salon of the Southwest and National Historic Landmark.
• Dinner at Nosa Restaurant & Inn set in the Ojo Caliente River Valley overlooking the majestic Jemez Mountains. 
• Creative instruction, group discussions, and photo critiques to deepen your technical and artistic practice.

Stirred by Georgia O’Keeffe’s bold vision of northern New Mexico, Renee sees the landscapes around her home in Santa Fe as both subject and muse. She transforms the sculpted desert into expressive photographs through abstraction, color, and form. Together, the group ventures into the same mesas, canyons, and high desert vistas that fueled O’Keeffe’s creativity, translating the beauty of the land into photographs that resonate with a painterly spirit. 

Whether you’re seeking to expand your creative process, experiment with new techniques, or reconnect with the natural world, this workshop offers a transformative journey through the landscapes that have long inspired artists of all kinds.

“I found that 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