Georgia O'Keefe For seven decades, Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986) was a major figure in American art. Remarkably, she remained independent from shifting art trends and stayed true to her own vision, which was based on finding the essential, abstract forms in nature. Source: Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art