Ralph Burke Tyree
Encyclopedia
Ralph Burke Tyree was born June 30, 1921 in Irvine, Kentucky
and moved to Delhi, California
as an infant. He was awarded a scholarship to the California College of the Arts
(Oakland) for a portrait he painted of his future wife, Marguerite (Margo) Almeida and also studied at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts. From 1942 to 1946, he worked as an artist in the public relations department of the United States Marine Corps
. He painted in Fiji
, the Gilbert Islands
, Japan
, the Mariana Islands
, Samoa
, and Japan
, prior to moving to Maui
in 1964. He is best known for his nude and semi-nude paintings of women of the Pacific islands. Burke Tyree died at age 57 of a massive heart attack on January 15, 1979 in Crows Landing, California
.
Irvine, Kentucky
Irvine is a city in and county seat of Estill County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 2,843 at the 2000 census. It is located on the Kentucky River at the junction of Kentucky Route 52 and Kentucky Route 89....
and moved to Delhi, California
Delhi, California
Delhi is a census-designated place in Merced County, California, USA. Delhi is located west-northwest of Merced, at an elevation of 118 feet...
as an infant. He was awarded a scholarship to the California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts , founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA...
(Oakland) for a portrait he painted of his future wife, Marguerite (Margo) Almeida and also studied at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts. From 1942 to 1946, he worked as an artist in the public relations department of the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He painted in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, prior to moving to Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
in 1964. He is best known for his nude and semi-nude paintings of women of the Pacific islands. Burke Tyree died at age 57 of a massive heart attack on January 15, 1979 in Crows Landing, California
Crows Landing, California
Crows Landing is a census-designated place in Stanislaus County, California. Crows Landing is about southeast of Patterson. It also gives its name to a brand of wine produced in the area. Crows Landing sits at an elevation of...
.