Georgia O'Keeffe, A Private Friendship, Part II: Walking the Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch Land

By Nancy Hopkins Reily

The time is 1946. From Georgia O’Keeffe’s old hacienda sitting on a bluff in Abiquiu, New Mexico, she could see my aunt and uncle, Helen and Winfield Morten’s property across the Chama River. Georgia had begun the restoration of her property. The Mortens, in the final stages of purchasing land along the Chama River, had recently completed their restoration of another old hacienda they called Rancho de Abiquiu. As one of few Anglos in the Chama River valley, Georgia ventured over to Rancho de Abiquiu to introduce herself and a private friendship resulted with the Mortens and their family. In this close family circle, Georgia revealed herself and proved that beneath her bare face there was more to her than just an artist of legendary proportions. Nancy Hopkins Reily spent many of her childhood days walking the Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch land. She explored the canyons, the White Place, Echo Amphitheater, the mountains, and the Chama River by walking the trails worn by earlier moccasined feet. In a seamless, clear, and straightforward narrative of excerpts from their lives, Reily presents Georgia in a time-window of her age. The book features Reily’s youthful experiences, letters from Georgia, glimpses of the family’s memorabilia and photographic snapshots—all gracefully woven into the forces of the contemporaneous scene that shaped their friendship. In addition, there are insights into the land’s beauty, times, culture, history and the people who surrounded Georgia, as well as many minute details that should be remembered and which are often overlooked by others when they speak of Georgia O’Keeffe. NANCY HOPKINS REILY was born in Dallas, Texas, and attended Gulf Park College in Gulfport, Mississippi, for one year. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.B.A. in Retail Merchandising. Since childhood she has divided her time between Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. At a young age, the colorful New Mexico landscape captured her heart and gave her a sense of place. She continues to enjoy its beauty. Reily makes her home in Lufkin, Texas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Release date: Sep 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781611390087

Nancy Hopkins Reily

Nancy Hopkins Reily was born in Dallas, Texas about mid-way between the Great Depression of 1929 and 1941 when the United States entered World War II. She was named after a McCall’s magazine story with the heroine named Nancy, a name her mother liked. With two brothers she didn’t play dolls, but played baseball and football in the neighborhood, caught fireflies at night and climbed the low branch tree in their yard. Since childhood, Reily has divided her time between Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Her college education began at Gulf Park College, Gulfport, Mississippi and ended with a B.B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University. After college she joined the ranks of marriage, homemaker and motherhood. This led to a career of volunteering for many various organizations. She is also the author of Classic Outdoor Color Portraits, A Guide for Photographers; Georgia O’Keeffe, A Private Friendship, Part I, Walking the Sun Prairie Land; Georgia O’Keeffe, A Private Friendship, Part II, Walking the Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch Land; Joseph Imhof, Artist of the Pueblos with Lucille Enix, and My Wisdom That No One Wants, all from Sunstone Press, and I Am At An Age, Best of East Texas Publishers. Reily makes her home in Lufkin, Texas.