The Strong Bond with Nature

The Pedernal Mountain inspired and moved Georgia O'Keeffe as she painted and studied it from the studio she used to work from. She loved the mountain to the extent that when she died, she was burnt and her ashes scattered on top of the mountain to indicate the strong bond she had with it. It believed that she had a deep connection with nature during her life, which is one of the reasons it was easier for her to love the Pedernal Mountain so much.

The Details of the Painting

An observer who doesn't have an idea of the name of the painting would see a huge mountain with a cloudy background. There is scarce vegetation on the foot of the mountain, and some of them have beautiful flowers. You will see that you are observing the mountain from a far distance. This is the reason the painting does not reveal deep details about the mountain.

However, it is easy to depict that the painter balanced blue, yellow, and green colours to give us something to hold on to. Green, in many cases, is a colour used to show the aspect of life, and so to Georgia O'Keeffe, the mountain served a place that is safe and comfortable. In the background, the sky is cloudy, and it seems like the rain is about to fall.

The rain also indicates that the mountain is located in a fertile place that receives adequate rain. The land is beautiful, and because there is rain, one cannot feel thirsty around the mountain. If you move your eyes closer to the foot of the mountain, you will see colourful vegetation. The green plants have flowered, and the surrounding is beautiful to watch. It can be deduced that Georgia O'Keeffe thought that nature is a lovely thing, and that the idea is worth sharing with her audience.

Final Word

The Pedernal Mountain was painted in 1941. Georgia O'Keeffe later died and instead of being buried, her remains were burnt and ashes scattered on the mountain. You can view the painting in O'Keeffe's museum.

Pedernal in Detail Georgia O'Keeffe