INTIMATE REFLECTIONS
‘Memories of Miss O’Keeffe’ shares insights from family who worked for artist
Chris Eyre knows how to capture a story.
On his latest project, he was taken back in time — and he enjoyed it.
Eyre recently directed the film “Memories of Miss O’Keeffe.”
The film shares intimate reflections from generations of the Lopez family, who worked for the legendary artist in northern New Mexico during Georgia O’Keeffe’s later years.
It shares the humanity behind an icon, the rare beauty of the American West, and connections that withstand the passage of time.
It will air at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 5, on New Mexico PBS, Channel 5.1.
Eyre got the idea for the film after talking with Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Director Robert A. Kret.
“I wanted to tell stories that people hadn’t seen or heard before,” Eyre says on the set of the NBC show “Chicago Fire.” “This was to delve into her life a little bit more through the stories of the Lopez family, who worked for Georgia.”
Eyre was able to find some O’Keeffe recordings.
“I brought her voice into the house, and the Lopez family’s mouths hit the floor,” he says. “The voice recordings were the genesis behind the documentary.”
Eyre says being able to listen to O’Keeffe’s own words was inspiring.
“They are very real and capture her personality,” he says. “I felt it was a point of view that hasn’t been really dealt with. It took about a year to complete. Robert was able to give us the time and the resources to get the documentary completed.”
Eyre is known for his work on the acclaimed films “Smoke Signals” and “Skinwalkers.”
When he’s up for a project, he wants it to challenge him — and O’Keeffe intrigues him.
“She was not only an extraordinary New Mexico filmmaker Chris Eyre artist, but a very strong woman,” he says. “Being able to hear first-person accounts from her was an amazing thing. There are times we wish we could be a fly on the wall and just listen. The recordings helped me get there.”
ART AND MUSIC: ¡COLORES! is a weekly art series with stories devoted to the creative spirit. In this week’s episode, renowned Santa Fe santera Arlene Cisneros Sena honors her heritage and reveals a feminine perspective, and Albuquerque’s Christy Cook and David Bashwiner of Goat White perform and share their love for music.
The episode airs at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 31, on NMPBS, Channel 5.1. It will be rebroadcast at 8 p.m. April 6.
SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.