Alfred Tulk
Alfred Tulk's Art at Our Library
Library Research:
Located on the second floor
Tulk created three paintings for his classes to use as an illustration for technique. Library Research is the last of the teaching project. The color palate changes as dramatically as do the many sources of research found at the library. From each corner come suggestions of the colorful pages used, then converging in the center with a completed project.
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Donated by David and Ann Clark
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Caution:
Located on the second floor
This tells a story easy to understand. This painting was a gift to the North Haven Art Guild, a group whose formation Tulk encouraged. It was donated to the Guild by his family after his death.
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On loan from the Art Guild
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North Haven Bicentennial Print:
Located on the first floor by the printer/copier
During the North Haven Bicentennial Celebration, Mr. Tulk designed a commemorative poster of local houses and buildings, and there was a limited number of prints made. The North Haven Memorial Library now proudly displays one of the prints, thanks to Elizabeth Gherlone who donated her copy of the print. There is also a corresponding description sheet, which identifies and gives a brief history of each building in the print, posted next to the print.
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Donated by Elizabeth Gherlone in honor of her parents, Joseph A. and Patricia W. Gherlone.
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About Alfred Tulk, 1899-1988
Prepared by Gloria Furnival
Below is an excerpt from Tulk's autobiography written in 1985:
Alfred was born October 3, 1899 in Chapham, London, England. When he was 12, "notice was taken of the little boy who could draw" and so I
was invited to sit in Mr. Drocott's garden to draw. He was a water colour artist and landowner. That year two of us boys did the school magazine.
At age 13, Goodbye to Dear old England; Hi America. Traveling by ship, all of us were sea sick during the storm except father. In Elmira Ohio the family adjusted to things American. At Oberlin, Ohio I was a special student while in high school.
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Age 19, I chose Yale University for college for they were specializing in mural painting. To me that meant a recall of the great paintings I had seen at the Tate National Galleries and in the mansions and castles of my childhood.
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Age 21, while a student I had a studio in the second story of an Orange Street store. That same year I met Ethel (Chapman) and sixty years later I am still smitten. We were married when I was 24.
Oil Paintings of North Haven Houses By Alfred Tulk, 1975, 1976
Alfred Tulk and his wife Ethyl Chapman Tulk lived on Upper State Street, from 1960-80, where Ethyl had been born. The farm had been in her family since 1904.
Alfred was a native of England. He came to the United States earned graduate degrees from Oberlin College, Ohio, and Yale University in Fine Arts. In the early 1920's the Tulks accompanied missionary friends to Africa where Alfred painted portraits of the local people.
From 1926 to 1945, Alfred worked for The Rambusch Decorating Company in Stamford, Connecticut. He designed wall murals, plaques, stained glass and tapestries. Clients included movie theaters, public buildings, restaurants and churches. He was involved with many projects during the 1936-38 World Fair in New York.
Mr. and Mrs Tulk spent several winters in Mexico, which influenced his work, and made trips to England.
During the North Haven Bicentennial Celebration, Mr. Tulk designed a commemorative poster of local houses and buildings. In addition to contributing paintings of houses, Alfred designed and painted the two downstairs murals for the Historical Society depicting Skills of the Craftsman and Jobs on the Farm. After Mr. Tulk's death in the 1980s, some additional house paintings were contributed to the Historical Society by the Estate. Mr. Tulk displayed his contemporary art paintings at a number locations in the area . Since his death, some paintings have also been shown in New York City.
Mr. and Mrs. Tulk were hosts to a 5th grade school tour, Historic House Tour and a summer meeting of the Historical Society.
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