In 1959 Martin Elkort visited artist Georgia O’Keefe at her Ghost Ranch home and studio. Martin was living in Santa Fe at the time and working as an art editor and critic for The New Mexican and a contributing writer for New Mexico Magazine. I had thought he told me that he went to interview her for an article he was writing for The New Mexican but I have never seen copies of that article in his archives. He said she showed him around her studio and they had tea, and then she told him, “It’s time for you to leave now.”
I found this letter going through his archive and I’m not even sure he remembered he had it. It was in his filing cabinet with numerous newspaper clippings of his New Mexican art column. Most were very yellowed the way newspaper gets when not archived well. Fortunately the letter, written on onion skin paper, survived in great shape.
Letter:
Abiquiu, N.M. 10/22/59
Dear Martin Elkort:
You do not say when you plan to have color plates made in your letter of Oct. 5th. That makes a difference in what we can do…. or would do.
Could you come and see me? I am at my house at the Ghost Ranch. You turn to the right through the Ghost Ranch gate just beyond the Museum. It is the house on the right about a mile and a half after the gate. It is the second Ghost Ranch gate, about sixteen miles from Abiquiu….. going north.
Would you bring you bring copy of your magazine if you can?
I am seldom away but if you wish to be certain write me when you wish to come.
Sincerely,
Georgia O’Keefe
