Abiquiu — A Quiet Reset
- Frankie Gomez
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
The desert feels different here.
Softer. Quieter. Like everything has been gently turned down.
We came out to Abiquiu without much of a plan—just a few days to slow down, create, and be around people that feel like home.
But if I’m being honest…
I didn’t come here full.
I came here depleted.
The past few months had been a lot.
Constant movement. Constant output. Always thinking about what’s next.
And somewhere along the way, I stopped feeling connected to what I was creating.
So this trip became something I don’t think we talk about enough as creatives—
A sabbatical.
Not a full stop.
Not quitting.
Just stepping away long enough to come back to yourself.
I made a few intentional choices before coming out here.
I didn’t bring my laptop.
I didn’t plan out every moment.
I surrounded myself with people I genuinely love being around.
And instead of trying to create something specific…
I let the experience lead.
The mornings were slow.
The conversations lasted longer.
The days didn’t feel rushed.
And somewhere in all of that, something started to shift.
I felt present again.
The home we stayed in felt familiar.
Adobe walls.
Brick floors.
A chimney that looked like it had been there forever.
The kind of place I’ve been imagining for a long time.
Somewhere out on land.
Surrounded by the desert.
Space to move slower.
To build something intentional.
And standing there, I had this quiet realization—
It didn’t feel far away.
It felt real.
We spent one of the days visiting Georgia O’Keeffe’s home.
Walking through the spaces where she lived and worked felt grounding in a different way.
She built a life around her creativity.
Not the other way around.
Her work wasn’t separate from where she lived…it was shaped by it.
The land, the stillness, the simplicity—
it was all part of her process.
And being there made me reflect on my own.
Not just what I want to create…
but how I want to live while creating it.
We also spent time at Ghost Ranch.
Wide open land, dramatic rock formations, colors that don’t feel real until you’re standing in them.
It’s the kind of place that makes you want to pick up a camera…
or just sit and take it all in.
But more than anything…
this trip reminded me of how much I value community.
Creating alongside people who understand you.
Conversations that go deeper than surface level.
Moments that don’t feel like they need to be documented to matter.
That part meant more than I expected.
Maybe that’s what this trip really was.
Not just a reset…but a return.
To myself.
To my creativity.
To the kind of life I’m trying to build.
Field Notes
Location | Abiquiu, New Mexico
Stay | Abiquiu Adobe with Private Canyon O'Keeffe Country
Experiences
Visiting Georgia O’Keeffe’s Home & Studio
Exploring Ghost Ranch
Slow creative days in Abiquiu
Time with friends and community
Georgia O’Keeffe Experience
You can book tours through the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe
Ghost Ranch
Open for hiking, exploring, and horseback riding.
Best Time to Visit
Early morning and golden hour for the softest, most cinematic light.
Photographer’s Notes
CAMERAS USED
CANON R5
primary / high-detail storytelling
CANON R6
low-light / movement / backup body
FUJIFILM X100V
digital / everyday carry
LENSES
CANON 35MM PRIME
natural perspective / cinematic feel
FILM
ILFORD HP5 PLUS 400 (35MM)
grain, contrast, and timeless black & white
NOTES
a mix of digital and film — depending on the moment, the light, and what it asked for
WATCH THE TRIP ON FILM
I also documented this trip on video. You can watch the full travel film below.
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