Visit the homes, studios and favorite places of some of America’s great artists, writers
Georgia O’Keeffe Experience
Visit the area of New Mexico that inspired so many of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings. On this trip, you’ll be able to stay in an RV campground on Ghost Ranch where O’Keeffe spent her summers until she became a widow and made the area her full-time home, Abiquiú where she bought and renovated an old adobe home, and the scenic desert she roamed for inspiration…
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986)
In 1929, O’Keeffe felt she needed to find new inspiration for her work, so she traveled to New Mexico, where she discovered the rugged beauty and vivid colors of the southwest. She also discovered Ghost Ranch, a remote dude ranch in the area. Between 1929 and 1949, O’Keeffe spent part of nearly every year at Ghost Ranch, exploring and painting the desert scenery. In 1945, she purchased an old adobe home in nearby Abiquiu, which she renovated and used as her studio and permanent residence, now the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
GHOST RANCH
1708 U.S. 84, Abiquiú, NM 87510
VISIT WEBSITE
This 21,000-acre retreat and education center, about 15 miles north of Abiquiú, winds through dramatic, colorful, familiar terrain made famous in paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, who kept a summer home on the property.
GHOST RANCH RV CAMPGROUND
VISIT WEBSITE
Most RV sites have a table and a fire ring, but few have shade. Water is available at some sites, and a dump station is available. Full hookup sites include water and a dump station at the site, and 30- and/or 50-amp electric hookups. There are only a small number of full hookup sites, available on a first come, first served basis. The Campground is open year-round with a communal bathhouse (closed late October-May, with alternative facilities available) equipped with an ice machine, shared refrigerator, showers, sinks, and coin-operated laundry. Make campground reservations in advance, but specific sites may not be reserved.
GHOST RANCH TOUR: Walk in Georgia O’Keeffe’s Footsteps
VISIT WEBSITE
This walking tour takes guests to the restricted area of Ghost Ranch where Georgia O’Keeffe lived, painted and found inspiration. Walk through what O’Keeffe called “her red hills” – the Chinle formation. Your guide will demonstrate O’Keeffe’s painting sites by comparing prints of her paintings to the landforms before you. Walking distance 1.5 miles over uneven ground at an elevation of 6,400 feet. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, water, sunscreen, and a long-sleeve shirt or windbreaker.
Cost: $79 per person
GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM
217 Johnson Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
VISIT WEBSITE
Georgia O’Keeffe Abiquiú Home & Studio Tour
21120 Highway 84, Abiquiu, NM 87510
In 1945, Georgia O’Keeffe purchased an old adobe home in nearby Abiquiu, which she renovated and used as her studio and permanent residence.
Standard tours: $40 (60 minutes)
Behind the Scenes Tours: $65 (90 minutes) Tues-Fri at 5:30 p.m. June 4-Sept. 13
Walk through the black patio door that O’Keeffe painted so many times on the behind the scenes tour.
Hours: Open daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Fridays until 7 pm)
Huntington Beach Camping & Arts Destination
Explore the scenic South Carolina winter estate of Archer & Anna Huntington, Atalaya Castle. Visit the sculpture and botanical gardens they founded in 1931. Spend the nights lulled to sleep by the ocean’s roaring waves in the beachfront RV campground at Huntington Beach State Park on this nature, history and art-lover’s dream itinerary…
Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973)
Anna Hyatt Huntington was an award-winning American sculptor, famous for her animal sculptures. In 1915, she created the Joan of Arc monument located outside of Central Park — the first public monument by a woman displayed in New York City and also the first to honor a woman. She is among the foremost women sculptors in the United States to have created publicly commissioned works. Atalaya was her winter home in South Carolina and contains a large indoor and courtyard studio area.
HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK
16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 • (843) 237-4440
VISIT WEBSITE
This 2500-acre oceanfront park features hiking trails, 3 miles of scenic beaches, a freshwater lake with alligators and over 300 species of birds. Nature programming includes encounters with loggerhead turtles. Park visitors may tour Atalaya, the winter home of Archer and Anna Hungtinton Hyatt. The RV campsites offer 107 standard sites with water and electric in addition to 66 full-hookup sites with water, sewer and electric. Wireless internet is available at this park.
To reserve RV campsites: visit reserve.southcarolinaparks.com
ATALAYA CASTLE AT HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK
16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 • (843) 237-4440
VISIT WEBSITE
The Moorish-style winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, Atalaya is a 30-room beachfront house built around a large courtyard. Self-guided and docent-led tours are available.
Admission: $2 per person (6 and older)
Hours: Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
BROOKGREEN GARDENS
1931 Brookgreen Garden Dr, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 • (843) 235-6000
VISIT WEBSITE
The 9,127-acre nature preserve, botanical and sculpture gardens were founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. The garden’s Live Oak Allée features 250-year-old Oak trees planted in the 1700s when the land was rice plantations. The sculpture gardens contain over 2,000 American figurative sculpture works by 425 artists.
Admission: $18 Adults, $16 Seniors (65+), $10 Children 4-12 (Children 3 and under are free)
Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
ATALAYA ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL
VISIT WEBSITE
A three-day annual arts festival is held each September in Huntington Beach State Park.
Admission: $10 Adults (Children 25 and under are free)
To apply: visit widencdn.net
Saint-Gaudens Sculpture Trip
Art history and heritage await in this beautiful historical park featuring the home and studio of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Many of his works are displayed in the gardens and galleries onsite. RV camping is available in nearby state parks. Sculpture classes are available in the summer season and the scenic grounds offer plein air opportunities for any artist to enjoy…
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907)
Saint-Gaudens was raised in New York by immigrant parents who moved when he was an infant. He studied art in Europe but returned to New York where he achieved great success creating monuments of American Civil War generals, including Sherman at one corner of Central Park in New York City. Saint-Gaudens created over 150 works of art, ranging from cameos to public monuments, including a design for the Twenty Dollar Indian Head Gold Eagle (minted in 1907-1933), which is considered one of America’s most beautiful coins. Saint-Gaudens purchased a historic inn at Cornish, New Hampshire in 1892 and created a summer retreat for his family with gardens, bowling green, golf course, and a swimming pool. They eventually made it their permanent home in 1900, when he received a cancer diagnosis. He continued to work for several years, founding The Cornish Art Colony with his brother Louis, also a well-known sculptor.
SAINT-GAUDENS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
139 Saint Gaudens Rd., Cornish, NH 03745 • 603-675-2175
VISIT WEBSITE
This 190-acre park features the home, studios, and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s finest sculptors. Take a self-guided or docent-led tour of over a hundred of the artist’s sculptures displayed on the grounds and galleries. The park is bordered on two sides by the Blow-Me-Up Brook and the Blow-Me-Down Brook which merge with the Connecticut River. Their waters are joined by those of several seep springs, remnants of previous glacier activity. Explore the nature trails, including Blow-Me-Down Pond featuring an old grist mill and a boardwalk where wildlife can be observed. Sculpture classes may be available during the summer season.
Guided Tours: https://www.nps.gov/saga/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm
Guidelines for visiting artists: https://www.nps.gov/saga/planyourvisit/guidelinesforartists.htm
Hours: Exhibit buildings are open 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Memorial Day – October 31), grounds are open until dusk.
SCULPTOR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
VISIT WEBSITE: https://www.nps.gov/saga/planyourvisit/sculptor-in-residence-program.htm
This program is open to figurative sculptors to spend the May-October open season working on their art and interacting with park visitors.
Residents
To apply: visit https://www.nps.gov/saga/planyourvisit/sculptor-in-residence-program.htm
There is no camping in Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, but there is RV camping in nearby Ascutney State Park (6 miles away).
MOUNT ASCUTNEY STATE PARK (Vermont)
1826 Back Mountain Rd, Windsor, VT 05089 • (802) 674-2060
VISIT WEBSITE: https://vtstateparks.com/ascutney.html | Map/Brochure https://vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/ascutney.pdf
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – sunset, May-October
Ascutney State Park is a popular hiking destination, offering more than 12 miles of trails. For a less strenuous hike, 3.7-mile Mount Ascutney Parkway to a parking lot at an elevation of 2,800 feet. A hike of nearly one-mile leads to the 3,144-foot summit. The park has two camping loops with 38 wooded RV sites. Each loop has a restroom with coin-operated hot showers. There is a dump station, but there are no hookups.
WILGUS STATE PARK
3985 Route 5, Weathersfield, VT 05156 • (802) 674-5422
VISIT WEBSITE
Located on the Connecticut River, this park is popular for canoes and kayaks which are rented at the park. Fishing and swimming are available in the river and the park also offers a 1-mile hiking trail. A small wooded campground offers 15 dry camping RV sites and two restrooms with coin-operated hot showers. A dump station is near the ranger’s quarters.
© 2019 artofrv.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this content without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to artofrv.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
