Author CJ Cook will speak at the Palm Springs Public Library about his book “Tyree: Artist of the South Pacific” celebrating the life and work of American artist Ralph Burke Tyree.
Cook plans to speak at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12. He will also have examples of Tyree’s artwork on display during the presentation and have books for sale.
Tyree was an American artist of the mid-twentieth century who had a prolific career painting scenes from the South Pacific. His love of the islands started as a marine posted to Samoa during WWII where he became the resident marine-based artist. After the war, he split his years between California and the Pacific, capturing the island people and the landscapes in oil on board and black velvet. He was one of the premier artists of the Tiki culture movement that swept the United States in the 1960s. Tyree: Artist of the South Pacific has been awarded two gold awards, Best Biography and Best Cover, at the Independent Book and Publishers Association (IBPA).
Cook is an author and historian who has a long interest in the history of the South Pacific. He has written many articles including publishing biographical sketches on historical figures. Cook is a lifelong autograph and manuscript collector who has a special interest in art, poetry, and the South Pacific. He is a board member of a prominent manuscript association which is dedicated to preserving manuscripts, historical documents and the written word.
Cook also is a collector of art and artists of the South Pacific including Ralph Burke Tyree, Edgar Leeteg, Edithe Beutler, Madge Tennent, Cece Rodriguez, and William Bloom. Some of the pieces illustrated in this biography are from the author’s collection. He has and continues to explore the Pacific including: Guam, Pohnpei, Truk, Palau, Bali, Tahiti and its surrounding islands, New Zealand, Australia and its Great Barrier Reef, Taiwan, and the Hawaiian Islands. The latter paradise he visits multiple times a year.
The Palm Springs Public Library offers a varied and comprehensive collection to the community. The Library is located at 300 S. Sunrise Way, on the corner of Sunrise Way and Baristo Road.
For more information about the Library call 760-322-READ (7323) or log on to www.palmspringslibrary.org.
