Ida Ten Eyck O'Keeffe

Born to a large family in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, Ida O'Keeffe was raised in an artistic atmosphere as two of her sisters and both her grandmothers were artists. During World War I, O'Keeffe chose to study nursing. In 1921 she received her degree and served as a gynecological nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Dissatisfied with her chosen profession and eager to pursue her artistic studies, O'Keeffe enrolled at Columbia University Teacher's College and received an MFA from there in 1932. She exhibited with her sister Catherine and their grandmothers in 1933 at New York's Opportunity Gallery. In 1937 the Delphic Studios in New York gave O'Keeffe a one person exhibition. That same year she participated in group exhibitions at the National Association of Woman Painters, winning an award for her work.

Named after her mother, Ida O'Keeffe was recognized as artistically gifted by her family and as a girl was encouraged to pursue her art. Unfortunately her artistic efforts were overshadowed by those of her famous older sister, Georgia O'Keeffe, and to this day Ida O'Keeffe remains little known as an artist and is rarely exhibited. She worked in both oil and watercolor and experimented with printmaking. She explored several print mediums but specialized in monotypes which she developed with an electric iron in her New York apartment.

During her lifetime Ida O'Keeffe had sporadic interaction with her older sister, Georgia. Early on Georgia's husband and dealer, Alfred Stieglitz, found Ida a welcome addition to their household and encouraged her visits. Correspondence between the three indicate that Stieglitz was attracted to Ida and flirted with her as he did with other women who frequented their home. Reportedly Stieglitz was fascinated with his wife's younger sibling because she resembled Georgia but was still very different from her. Ida was better humored and enjoyed some domestic tasks. She was a great outdoors woman and could shoot a squirrel as well as she arranged wildflowers. Apparently Georgia was not threatened by her husband's flirtations with her sister and more often than not when the three spent time together it was harmoniously. That harmony was disrupted for some years when writer Paul Rosenfeld came for a visit and diverted Ida's attentions, infuriating Stieglitz. The attraction was serious and the following summer, in an attempt to discourage the couple, Stieglitz refused to extend the annual invitation to Ida.

As Georgia O'Keeffe's fame grew, Ida's artistic career shrank and she was unable to sell her paintings or find work that sustained her. During WWII she worked briefly in an airplane factory, but by 1950 Ida was dependent on Georgia and two other sisters, Anita and Claudia, for support. Benita Eisler reports in her book on O'Keeffe and Stieglitz that the once ebullient, capable young woman fell apart.

In 1961 Ida O'Keeffe died of a stroke at age 7l. Posthumously she was the subject of an exhibition in 1974 in Santa Fe and recently her works have begun to appear on the marketplace.

http://jlwcollection.com/jlwcollection.com/Ida_OKeeffe.html

Wisconsin Births, 1820-1907 about Ida T Okeeffe Name: Ida T Okeeffe Birth Date: 23 Oct 1889 County: Dane Reel: 0044 Record: 002565

1900 United States Federal Census about Ida O Keefe Name: Ida O Keefe [Ida Okeefe] Age: 10 Birth Date: Oct 1889 Birthplace: Wisconsin Home in 1900: Sun Prairie, Dane, Wisconsin [Dane] Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's Name: Francis O Keefe Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin Mother's Name: Ida O Keefe Mother's Birthplace: Wisconsin Occupation: View on Image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Francis O Keefe 46 Ida O Keefe 36 Francis O Keefe 15 Georga O Keefe 12 Ida O Keefe 10 Anita O Keefe 9 Alexis O Keefe 7 Kathrin O Keefe 5 Claudia O Keefe 1 Jane E Janney 66 Andrew Earl 30

1910 United States Federal Census about Ida O Keeffe Name: Ida D'keeffe [O Keeffe] [O'Keefe] Age in 1910: 20 Birth Year: abt 1890 [1890] Birthplace: Wisconsin Home in 1910: Williamsburg, Williamsburg (Independent City), Virginia Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's Name: F O Keeffe Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin Mother's Name: Ida A O Keeffe Mother's Birthplace: New Jersey Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Francis Catlyxtus O Keeffe 57 Ida A O Keeffe 47 Frances O Keeffe Jr. 25 O'Keeffe, Georgia O Keeffe 22 Ida O Keeffe 20 Anita O Keeffe 19 Alexix O Keeffe 17 Cathrine O Keeffe 15 Claudia O Keeffe 11 Mrs. Jennie Varney 76

1920 United States Federal Census about Ida T E O'Keeffe Name: Ida T E O'Keeffe [Ida T E Okeeffe] [Ida T E O Keeffe] Age: 30 Birth Year: abt 1890 Birthplace: Wisconsin Home in 1920: Manhattan Assembly District 15, New York, New York Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Pupil Marital Status: Single Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin Mother's Birthplace: Wisconsin Able to Read: Yes Able to Write: Yes

New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 about Ida Okeeffe Name: Ida Okeeffe Arrival Date: 17 Dec 1939 Birth Date: abt 1889 Birth Location: Wisconsin Birth Location Other: Sun Prairie Age: 50 Gender: Female Port of Departure: Havana, Cuba Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship Name: Chiriqui Search Ship Database: Search the Chiriqui in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

California, Death Index, 1940-1997 about Ida T Okeeffe Name: Ida T Okeeffe Social Security #: 545305262 Gender: Female Birth Date: 23 Oct 1889 Birth Place: Wisconsin Death Date: 27 Sep 1961 Death Place: Los Angeles Mother's Maiden Name: Totto