Through the Long Desert: Georgia O'Keeffe and Frank Lloyd Wright

By Sarah Rovang

A richly illustrated exploration of newfound connections between American cultural icons Georgia O'Keeffe and Frank Lloyd Wright. This groundbreaking volume places the artist and architect side by side, shedding light on their lives, work, and mutual love of the American desert.

Georgia O'Keeffe and Frank Lloyd Wright were neither competitors nor direct collaborators. Yet these romantic heroes of twentieth-century art and architecture largely operated in parallel. In this seminal book, Rovang weaves together their compelling life stories, examining newly discovered links between them and, in the process, offering a fresh perspective on their work, their intermittent yet poignant friendship, and their closeness to the desert. 

Starting in 1933, O'Keeffe and Wright exchanged roughly two dozen letters in which they expressed admiration for one another but also their passion for the places that informed them--many of which they had in common. Both were born in rural Wisconsin and built their careers in Chicago and New York. However, both sought inspiration and fulfillment in places farther afield, including in Japan and the desert landscape of the American Southwest. Juxtaposing images highlighting shared aspects of their individual biographies and work, this unique take on American creative expression explores the nature of artistic friendship and the idea of "home." Rovang's text gives rich context to the allure and romance of her visual subject, offering readers new ways to appreciate O'Keeffe's and Wright's monumental contributions to American culture.  

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0847875792
• ISBN13: 9780847875795
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Rizzoli Electa
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 3.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 9.9" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

For Every Fan Of Wright, O’Keeffe, American Art Or Wisconsin

This book is a real treat for any fan of Wright, O’Keeffe, those who enjoy Art, Wisconsin history - or perhaps people who just enjoy those little coincidences that leave you wondering “…what might have been…?” To my knowledge, this is the first real well researched venture that notes the relationship between these two real giants of American art. The author -Sarah Rovang - a professional fan of both- spent time, had unprecedented access, and was immersed in research material at both Wright’s Taliesin and O’Keeff’s estatej. She uncovered a trail of correspondence that reveals an on-going personal dialogue between these two Wisconsin-rooted art and architecture icons. Rovang had access to the best sources and reveals that though they likely only met in person one time, they carried on an intimate and fascinating discussion about art and life. It’s wonderfully illustrated and should be a continuing source of wonder, speculation, and joy for Wrightofiles, O’Keeffers, and fans of Wisconsin and Art History. I might have given it five stars / but I like to reserve that for something so extraordinary that I couldn’t imagine anything better, This one will be a treasure that i’ll return to again and it comes pretty darn close...