Georgia O’Keeffe didn’t just paint flowers.
She painted bones. She painted hills. She painted the space between things.
Born in 1887, O’Keeffe lived to be 98. She saw the world change—cars, skyscrapers, moon landings. But she stayed focused on shape, color, and emotion.
And she made the world stop and look.
That’s why she’s one of our 35 master artists.
You may know her for giant flowers. But she also zoomed in on leaves, deserts, and bones—yes, bones.
She hiked through the New Mexico desert collecting skulls. She loved their curves, shadows, and open space.
Where most saw death, O’Keeffe saw beauty.
Your students can learn to see like she did.
They’ll study:
- Abstract vs. realistic shapes
- Tints and shades using white and black
- Color value and how it affects mood
- How to scale a small object to huge
- Composition, contrast, and background vs. foreground
Then they’ll bring it all to life.
In the classroom, students will:
- Paint landscapes inspired by New Mexico’s smooth, rolling hills
- Use watercolor crayons to blend and layer color values
- Outline hills in bold black for dramatic effect
- Magnify and paint flowers and leaves
- Explore tints and shades by hand—not on a screen
No fancy tools needed.
Just paper, watercolor crayons, black crayons, and brushes. Everything’s in your MTM tote—ready to go.
Here’s how to teach it:
- Use the print and slides to introduce O’Keeffe’s story
- Distribute simple prep materials
- Follow our clear, step-by-step “Working With” guide
- Watch students light up as their landscapes come alive
Whether you’re a teacher, parent volunteer, or hosting one of our pros—this lesson’s ready for you.
Already own the O’Keeffe unit? Open it up and dive in. Haven’t added her yet? You can grab just her lesson or get the full track.
Want to see what your students might create?
Visit our Student Gallery and see how others have captured her bold style.
Sometimes, the best way to be seen… is to scale up.
Creatively yours,
Meet the Masters
Inspire – Educate – Create
Dig Deeper:
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