O'KEEFE/STIEGLITZ LETTERS O'Keefe, Georgia 1933-1934 Box 1 Folder 2 Apr, 1933 Dear Henwar; So you go to Brazil - - for six months ~ well that is better than the way I have spent the past six months ~ I hope things go well and that you make something of it one way or another ~ something that gives you something real for yourself ~ no matter what it is ~ I am feeling much better out here in this strange toyland - Really better ~ If I return to New York - arriving there one the eleventh as I plan at present 3 such a poke - Let us know when you return if not before Very fondly Georgia - I will probably be too late to see you before you go - This is only to tell you that I'll not forget that I'll be wondering and wishing for things to go well for you - That I would like to hear from you if letters ever come out of Brazil and you feel like writing I do little but sit in the sun here when it shines - when it doesn't shine I shiver - like every one else I want to write Marie by the next mail - have intended to feel I am Aug. 1933 I hear from Marie that you are on your way home - that you are stoping in Bermuda. When you arrive in 'the states' would you like to come up and see us for a few days or what time you wish. I am better - feet so slow. Stieglitz seems quite well. Fondly Georgia - [*ca Aug 15/33 answered Bd Aug 24/33*] Fall 1933 Dear Henwar: I must tell you tonight before I go to bed that I have your letter today and I am very happy to hear from you I am still in the country - am here alone and like it much - I may be in the city for a few days or to stay this coming week so I am glad you tell me of Marie - I will try to see her - Your letter pleases me for myself - and what you say of yourself sounds so good that it makes me feel very good about you. Are you going to send me your movie to look at when I am settled - ? I will write again another time - soon Very very fondly Georgia Jan 1934 We have had much snow - the city rises very tall and grey out of the whiteness this morning - I hope things are going well with you - My show is on the wall and I feel through with it - It seems to mark the end of a long period in my life - I plan to finish up a few other [?] ends this coming week - and then for something new I am feeling better - it has been a strange way to be ill - so very long getting to be normal again I feel well enough on the way now so that I feel really ready to start to work anew - We will see, Fondly Georgia - Feb. 1934 [*Feb ?/34*] Dear Henwar: I am just back from the city and so tired I can only half sit up and write you with this funny little piece. It was my third trip to town. I was there twelve days - and God - I'm glad to get back up here in the snow and cold - where it is still - and no one to talk to - I am really getting to be pretty good again even tho this writing is cramped and strange I intended answering your letter of long ago but I wasn't sure of your whereabouts - It is always so nice and fresh to hear from you - then too I get long periods of uncertainties in my mind and I do not like to write these to any one. I have wanted to write and ask your mother to come up and stay with me for a week or so but it seems I cant get myself to do it even tho I want to - I knew the shell was from you - it is lovely - both sides and the little black mark too - I had thrown away the wrapping - not noticing where 4 The ground has hardly been bare since early in November. I like this living down only it makes going among people very trying in they seem to make such a noise So I think of moving myself here tho I do not particularly want to You know the difficulty is that I can't get myself to want to do anything I can't even get interested in wanting a job New Mexico - So you know I'm pretty bad, I hated Bermuda in a way - - tho George invited me to come and stay as long as I wanted to I told David that had better talk it over carefully and write me - It seems that living in a house with two rather nice young men would be pleasanter than this hotel - and when the sun shines it is so lovely - I thought I might really get 2 - it came from tho I knew it was from you - knew your handwriting - it made me get out the feathers and look at them. They are so lovely too. I went to town to help Alfred hang my show - all old work - some from among the first things Alfred saw and showed in the first exhibition he gave me - spring of 1916 - the latest three from 1930. I wish you could see it because what you would feel and think about it would interest me - much of it is things I have tried to paint that maybe can not be painted - and I wonder - some time we must talk about it - It makes me a bit sad Now to other things The young man who has visited Maries house in Bermuda has invited me out to visit him - He is a very nice - really rather amusing blond young thing - He is sailing today with another boy 5 - a new start with the lovely color here - here I seem to do nothing but lead a very pleasant life - The house is comfortable - the outdoors lovely with the snow - and sometimes I go to town and almost loose my mind with the excitement of it tho I must say I am improving very much each time I go - Alfred seems well. I guess I worry him a bit but I cant help it. Up here I feel very good - really quite as usual - When I go 6 hours it is all very nice for a few days - then I do too much - and finally get so bad it seems another day there is [??] quite impossible - I wonder if you had the car painted over or if you left it - ? I am glad that what you are doing seems to please you - that it really seems to have possibilities - 3 - Who is the ???? right along - They both write ??? to work and live the summer I don't understand why they asked me because I was cross as could be when I met them there last year and haven't seen them since till I saw David Bernham day befor yesterday - George Bradshaw wishes any who invited me I always miss seeing by a day or a few hours or some thing like that - ??? feel I told David to tell George I might go if I could really stay a long time 8 or 10 weeks and pay any share -What I want to ask you is - the hours; very cold or can only keep a little warm - I rather liked the color of the sea - and things that grow ??? and thought I might work. Here it is basically cold our 10-20-40 below zero any time. I have loved it - The snow has been deep and lovely but I've had quite a bit of winter now 6 Write me and tell me that New Mexico is nice and I might do that instead of Bermuda - It just seems I must kick myself to someplace where I will work - Here I do nothing Read - struggle with the snow - and enjoy it and play with the cat It was so nice to have your letter when I came from town just now Give Marie my greetings - also Paul Jones if you see him - Very fondly Georgia Think of me when the sky is lovely in the morning Apr. 1934 [*April 10/34 Bermuda*] The pages you write me seem fresh and strong even if there is no really good news of you - too bad the work for you stopped as it seems to have No - I did not see your mother - she went in to see Stieglitz and my show but at the time I was out here in Bermuda - Have been here for five or six weeks - at Parapet [?] - that is a funny turn for things to take. It has been warm and lovely - and quiet and slow - I feel much better than when I came out - no - the wishes do not come. I just made myself come out here - Hadn't the least desire to come - I was tired of the cold at Lake George - and finally had enough of my own company - five months of it - Coming here seemed easy to do - I have liked it - but I begin to feel enough better so that I probably must make myself move again soon - within two or three weeks anyway - I cannot get myself to want to go to New Mexico - my mind tells me that would probably be the easiest way to get to work - so I may do it even if I am not at all interested - Mabel offered me a house - I wrote her I had no plans - You sound so alive - I wish I could see you - give my love to the sky and the wind G. Sept. 26, 1934 [*Sept 26/34*] Dear Henwar! Your letter comes to me clear and alive like the nicest thing I feel in you When you were here I wanted to talk with you - it was about my own personal affairs - things pertaining only to myself - the time was too short - I felt you too busy to stop and listen - so I said nothing - but it made me hate to see you go - Then after you were gone I was glad - for my kind talking leads to nothing - I must wait till I must do But I do some times wish to talk when I feel there might be understanding and clear seeing - clear possibly in a different way than my own - That's why I was a bit queer about your leaving - . 3- Marjorie and Jean were married before they left - Her two children came - and a very tall boy who was driving East with them - they and Paul and I all dashed up to Taos for the wedding as soon as she knew her divorce papers were filed - The children were in a rush to start East for school - Speed was the only other person there - it was almost sunset - The light low coming into the windows of the courthouse with those awful murals - so called - Moses with a broken neck looking down on it all - Spud has the little ginger jar on his desk - he gave his funny little surprise laugh when I presented it to him - - Paul tells me the bar is painted over - I never went in to look at it I like the alive feeling of interest you seem to have in your present and in your future - I look forward to seeing the thing you are at now - I wonder will it get to New York - I don't know where 4- I will be starting back - now that I am feeling better I'll probably stay here a little longer than I intended - maybe till the end of October - I had intended going about the middle - It probably depends on the weather - Your letters always feel like a fine breeze. I rather regret sending this stupid return - but give me time and I think I'll be alive again Fondly Georgia better address me Espanola till late October - - after that 509 Madison Ave. - I suppose - The summer went strangely - It seemed I could not come to life - It is only the past two or three weeks that I begin to be alive and feel a bit like me - It rather surprises me that I do really feel alive again - it has been so long - I have been up here at The Ghost Ranch 18 miles above Abiquiu for about five weeks - - that may annoy you as an idea but it seems to have been very good for me to be rid of all old associations -- no one and nothing about that I knew before - and the country up here is very handsome - I have some figures to paint a little that I like - this past week has really been the first I have done that I was even vaguely interested in looking at a second time. -- So you see - there isn't really much to write except that I am not quite as dead as I was. Oct. 11, 1934 October 11 - 34 I am leaving the H. & M. this afternoon - Naked at dawn - and thinking of going it seemed you should be here to tell me good by Spud is driving with me from Taos - He has another car to drive back from Boston - will be in N.Y. a week or two I begin to feel guilty like me - The fall days have been very good Id send you a yellow leaf and a scrap of blue sky this morning if I could Yours fondly G. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.