Delle Miller facts for kids

Adele Helene “Delle” Miller (1875-1932) was a talented American artist, craftswoman, and teacher. She was born in Kansas. However, she spent most of her life in Kansas City, Missouri. Delle worked with many different art materials. These included metal and oil paints. She learned from famous painting teachers. Some of her instructors were Hugh H. Breckenridge, Arthur Wesley Dow, and Daniel Garber.

Early Life and Art School

An illustration of Delle's sister, Mabelle.

Delle Miller was born in Independence, Kansas. She had a sister named Mabelle M. Miller. Their father, Henry Miller, was a doctor and a real estate businessman. Both Delle and Mabelle were part of the Philomathean Alumnae Association.

Delle studied art at several well-known schools. These included the Fine Arts Institute of Kansas City. She also attended the Chicago Art Institute. Her studies continued at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

She learned from important artists. These teachers included Hugh H. Breckenridge, Arthur Wesley Dow, and Daniel Garber. She spent three summers studying with Breckenridge in Gloucester.

Becoming an Artist and Teacher

By 1909, Delle Miller was teaching art herself. She became an instructor at the Kansas City Art Institute. At the Art Institute, she taught in two areas. These were metal work and jewelry making.

By 1921, she was an art teacher at Central High School. There, she even tried writing plays. She wrote a play about a day in the life of the famous painter Rembrandt.

In 1926, Delle Miller's art was shown in an exhibition. Her work was displayed with other artists. This exhibition was at Southwest Missouri State Teachers college. Today, this school is known as Missouri State University. The Springfield News-Leader newspaper called Miller one of the "leading women artists of the day" in 1926.

Delle Miller was a member of many art groups. These included the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors. She was also part of the Kansas City Society of Art. Other groups were the North Shore Art Association and the Kansas City Arts and Crafts. She even served as president of the Kansas City Society of Artists.

Awards and Recognition

In 1929, Delle Miller won an award. She received "Best work in oil" at the Fine Arts Exhibit. This exhibit was part of the Missouri State Fair.

Later Life and Legacy

Delle Miller passed away on September 17, 1932. She died in Kansas City.

Years later, her art is still valued. In 2019, one of her oil paintings appeared on Antiques Roadshow. This is a popular television show. An art expert named Deborah Spanierman looked at the painting.

Spanierman praised Miller's work. She said Miller's art was as good as that of male artists from her time. The expert estimated the painting's retail price. She said it could be worth US$25,000. This shows how important and valuable Delle Miller's art remains today.

Images for kids

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  Sunny Day, Gloucester