Alice Kellogg Tyler
Artist
"She was a very special person, a rare jewel."
Alice Tyler was born in Chicago in 1862, the daughter of a doctor. At an early age, her parents reconized her artisitic talent. She was one of the first students in the Chicago Art Institute, later to become a teacher there. In 1887, she studied in Paris under recognized teachers at the Academic Julian and Carlorossa School. While in Paris, she exhibited twice in the Saloon and in the American section of the Paris Inernational Exhibition. A portrait of her sister was given an award. In her letters, she constantly expressed humbleness although her work was receiving a lot of praise. In the fall 0f 1889, she returned to Chicago where she resumed teaching at Art Institute. Her work gained recognition and was included in many Chicago collections and many shows throughtout the 1890's. Around 1892, she was asked to join the Society of American Artists, becoming the only women in her time to receive this honor. In 1893, Alice was one of fifteen women to be given space in the Fine Arts Building at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. She exhibited two paintings, "Mother and Child" and "Miss G.E.K.". She illustrated a children's book entitled "Singing Verses for Children" (authored by Lydia Avery Coonley, publisher, MacMillan, London, 1897) and two illustrations in "Twenty Years at Hull House" were taken from her paintings. She was one of the first Chicago artists to give her service to the Hull House (See Portrait of Jane Addams at link below).
In 1894, She married Orno J. Tyler. They had one child that only lived for a short time. In 1900, six years after their marriage, Alice became ill and died an untimely death at the age of 38. Newspapers were quoted as saying Chicago had lost a very promising artist. Jane Addams gave the eulogy at her funeral. In the eulogy, I found the words I had been trying to express how I felt about when I looked at her paintings. "Alice Tyler's life obtained for itself a technique so fine that she really achieved what many artists strive for in vain because they first acquire their techniques and then look about for something to epress. Her canvasses have always a sort of transparency which lets the glory through, a light of spring, a delicacy of texture as if she would have them a medium through which the divine rays might pass." She was a very special person, a rare jewel. - Laura E. Nichols
For more information about Alice Kellogg Tyler's life or her paintings displayed at this site, Please contact:
Dale & Laura Nichols
P.O. Box 3022
Euerka Springs, AR 72631-3022
or contact them at the email address at the bottom of this page.
Examples of her work.
Oil Portrait of Jane Addams
Two Cows in a Meadow.
Girls Gathering Sticks.
Handmaiden.
Man With Two Children.
Portrait of a Child.
Quiet Stream.
The Road Home.
Self Portrait of Alice.
Sunset.
Young Girl.
Young Man.
Updated 02/08/06.
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