Red Hill and White Shell 1938

This painting, Red Hill and White Shell, is by Georgia O’Keeffe, and I guess she used oil paint to make it, probably. It’s all about how the shell sits on this red hill, like it's part of the landscape, or maybe the landscape is part of it? Look at how she’s smoothed out those colors, blending the reds and whites so they almost glow. It’s like she’s inviting you into a quiet, internal space. That swirl in the shell, right? It’s the same shape as the hills, everything echoing, like some kind of weird, beautiful dream. O’Keeffe was always playing with scale and perspective. Think of her flowers, how they fill the canvas. Here, she does the same, turning everyday objects into something monumental. Like you’re seeing the world in a whole new way, one that’s both intimate and kind of mind-blowing. It’s like Agnes Martin meets a seashell, that’s what I’m getting here.