Iris (Furman) Tellefson

Gallery seeks a photo, biographical information and early paintings by Iris Furman Tellefson. Contact: info@GalleryofWisconsinArt.com

BORN: 1919, Oshkosh, WI

DIED: July 15, 1988 in Oshkosh

Iris was born on a farm near Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh.

While attending school, she regularly took drawing and art classes, but considered them a "fiasco" as far as her interest was concerned. She was so bored studying art history in school that she switched her main focus area to music which facinated her and made her feel alive.  Her and her sister taught themselves various musical instruments, and they even formed a  small orchestra playing at local events.

She later took a drawing classes from Mrs. Mark Caitlin who was a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute, living nearby in Appleton. She continued her classes for four years which helped her develop her skills and deeper interest in the subject. Mrs. Caitlin was a contagiously enthusiastic role model who had the ability to teach and artistic talents.

Iris was a Charter Member of the Rural Arts Program in 1940 and attended the first gallery tour by John Steuart Curry. Curry liked her "lively sense of color" and critiqued her designs and frames. Curry especially believed in painting frames to harmonize with the paintings - and avoided the elaborate and gold guild frames. Iris frequently attended the Groups annual meetings, and showed continual progress.

Unlike other members, she did not exhibit frequently, nor did she actrively pursue a market for her paintings. She did exhibit occassionally at the County and State Fair. Most of her early paintings were given to family members.

In 1942, she ventured into the commercial art field working for a paper mill in Neenah. But after neglecting her fine art completely for a year and a half, she made a crucial return to her primary interest. In 1943, she enrolled at the Chicago Art Institute and attended for a couple years. She supported herself working evenings as a commercial artist which paid for her training, but her fine art motives drove her motives.

Her paintings always depicted people as well as landscapes, and at the Art Institute, she concentrated on figure drawing, portraiture, and the incorporation of figures into the regional landscapes. (Reportedly - in Barton's Book "Regional Artists in Wisconsin", she had no idea or altruistic interest in her grades. She knew what she was after, and didn't want to be influenced by the marks the instructors would have given her!)

In November of 1945, she married Aisley Tellefson, a veteran who served in Australia and the Pacific Islands. In spring 1947 they had their first of three daughters.

Barton's book (source of these biographical facts was published in 1948 and ends here  - so much of her bio is unknown - can you provide?

Iris's husband Ainsley Tellefson, died in 1970. On Jan. 2, 1975, she married Gordon Kargus in Oshkosh. Iris Kargus devoted her life to her family and her painting. 

Her painting, "Feeding Time," was part of the permanent collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Iris was a featured artist in the Wisconsin Historical Society exhibit in 1985. She was employed by Race where she coordinated the art department for 14 years.

At the 1988 Oshkosh Public Museum Art Fair she received the Grumbacher Silver Medallion for Excellence. Her husband, Gordon, encouraged her avid interest in art. During their frequent travels, there was always time set aside for painting and sketching. Her other love in life was her family.

Biographical and Photo Credit:

Rural Artists of Wisconsin by John Rector Barton, pg. 147-150