A Santa Fe Estate With Ties to Georgia O’Keeffe Lists for $13.8 Million

Juan Hamilton first met Georgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico in 1973. He was 27; she was 86. What started with Hamilton doing odd jobs for the legendary artist evolved into a deep friendship and a working relationship that lasted for more than a decade. He became her assistant, driver, gardener, travel companion, and closest confidant, coaxing her back into making art as her eyesight was failing. Today, one of Hamilton’s former homes sits directly next door to Sol y Sombra, the 20-acre estate where O’Keeffe spent the final years of her life. The property was later owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who bought it in 2000 and added several structures. Allen’s estate eventually sold Sol y Sombra in 2023 for $15 million. RELATED: Fire Island’s Famous Pyramid House Is Back on the Market for $3.3 Million The Hamilton property, meanwhile, still has his former art studio on the grounds, though it has since been converted into one of two guest casitas. After more than 20 years off the market, the estate is now asking $13.75 million. Grace Elliott of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Santa Fe brokerage has the listing. At 9,326 square feet, it’s a sizable compound, with a three-bedroom main house, two casitas, a separate home office, a pool and pool house, a sport court, and enough garage space for 10 cars. In all there are four kitchens, including an outdoor one. O’Keeffe encouraged Hamilton’s interest in artmaking, buying him a kiln and pushing him to pursue pottery and sculpture. He also encouraged O’Keeffe to experiment with pottery, sculpture, and watercolor, helping her find new ways to work as her eyesight deteriorated. In 1984, Hamilton, his wife, and their two young sons moved into O’Keeffe’s home, where they lived with the artist during her final years. RELATED: This $3.6 Million Santa Fe Live-Work Compound Was Built by an Acclaimed Glass Artist When O’Keeffe died in 1986, she left Hamilton much of her estate, including her two New Mexico homes, artwork, and personal belongings. A legal battle with members of O’Keeffe’s family followed, though Hamilton ultimately kept her ranch house and a selection of her art and personal effects. He later donated some of the collection to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, while other pieces stayed with him until 2020, when he sold a selection of O’Keeffe’s works and personal effects at Sotheby’s in New York. The auction brought in $17.2 million. He went on to build a life—and a real estate portfolio—well beyond New Mexico. Hamilton and his family eventually moved to Hawaii, where he owned a ranch on Maui and, later, a nearly 14-acre mountaintop property in Honolulu. He bought the three-bedroom home in 1998 after inheriting O’Keeffe’s estate, and it is also on the market, asking $6.3 million. Click here to see more photos of the Santa Fe home. Comments