Barse Miller biography provided courtesy of “California Watercolors 1850-1970” By Gordon T. McClelland and Jay T. Last.

Barse Miller, N.A. (1904-1973)...Born: New York City, NY

Barse Miller began formal art instruction at the National Academy of Design while still in elementary school. There he received instruction from Henry Snell. A few years later, Miller continued his education with Hugh Breckenridge at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Both of these teachers were award winning watercolorists. At eighteen years of age Barse was awarded the Cresson Traveling Scholarship which enabled him to study and paint in Europe for two years. In 1924, he moved to Los Angeles and settled.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Barse Miller's watercolors became increasingly popular. His ability to manipulate wetinto-wet washes had a huge impact on many of his students and fellow artists. Miller's many years of formal art instruction gave him a superior knowledge of color and design and when the California Group was being scrutinized in the 1930s, his work helped greatly to give the overall movement credibility.

...extended biography is available in McClellands "California Watercolors" book. Barse Miller biographical information:

Interview with Betty Miller, 1984 Interview with Rex Brandt, 1983 A Century and a Half of American Art.