A Storm by Georgia O'Keeffe (Interpretation and Analysis)

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A Storm
Source: MET Museum

There are few twentieth century artists more famous than Georgia O'Keeffe, especially in America. Today, O'Keeffe is best-known for her paintings of flowers, which she portrays in exquisite, close-up detail. These flowers were part of O'Keeffe’s journey with self-expression through abstraction.

O'Keeffe was one of the first American artists to experiment with abstraction, which she first encountered while studying at the Art Students League in New York. Throughout the early years of her career, O'Keeffe worked to develop a unique visual language that allowed her to express her ideas and point of view. While abstraction usually functions by using lines and shapes to delve into the subconscious mind or the spiritual realm, O'Keeffe approached abstraction through exploration of the natural world, which, in turn, allowed her to express thoughts.

While O'Keeffe was profoundly inspired by the landscape of New Mexico—where she executed many of her most famous paintings—she first rose to prominence while working as an artist in New York. A Storm was executed while O'Keeffe was staying at her summer home in Lake George, New York. The piece depicts a lightning storm over the water, with the moon reflected in the surface of the lake.

It’s an exquisite and beautiful piece of art, bursting with energy and spontaneity. Though O'Keeffe later developed a more streamlined, polished style, I personally enjoy the raw vitality of A Storm, which represents O'Keeffe’s uniquely American brand of abstraction.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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