A girl who would be different in habit,
style, and dress, A girl who doesn’t give a cent for men–and boys
still less.
O is for O’Keeffe, an artist divine; Her paintings
are perfect and her drawings are fine.
More importantly, at Chatham, Georgia met an exceptional
art teacher, Mrs. Willis, who had been educated at the Art Students League
in New York City. Willis recognized Georgia’s talents and individuality,
overlooked her behavioral tribulations, and permitted her to work
at her own pace. While Georgia was at school, she enjoyed summers
with her family vacationing at the York River, and her family lived
comfortably in a large frame house in Williamsburg. However, Francis
had not been able to establish a stable career for himself, and
he experienced a series of failed business ventures. The family
wealth gained from selling the farm in Wisconsin had diminished
to the point that the family had to move to a smaller house and
take on boarders. There was still enough money, however, to finance
Georgia’s higher education. Consequently, in 1905, after she received
her high school diploma, her parents agreed to send her to Chicago
to study painting at the Art Institute of Chicago.