We love the mythology of the creative type: The oppressed rock band taken advantage of by their evil record label, only to achieve fame and fortune through sheer talent; the ingénue plucked from obscurity at the lunch counter. And, of course, the angst-ridden artist whose tortured soul fuels his or her expression.

Painting by Virginia Tillou. Photo courtesy of Dana Tillou.

The painter Virginia Tillou (1906-1995), who lived and worked in Buffalo, carries no such dramatic legend. She studied art, raised a family, was active in the community, and painted colorful and evocative pictures.

Tillou’s work is mainly made up of large still-life paintings (which she called “tabletops”) and portraits. “Ginny” is most fondly remembered within the social circle of Buffalo’s old guard, many of whom she painted.

In the past month or so, those lucky enough to have entrée to the Buffalo Club have been privileged to see 12 of Tillou’s works on display.

One of her sons, Buffalo-based art and antique dealer Dana Tillou, gave a lecture at the club in support of the exhibition.

He recalled his mother as “a very independent lady who didn’t mince words. She was very popular at dinner parties.” He also touched on how that directness informed her child-rearing style. She once told Dana, “I can’t stop you from smoking—but I hope you’re not stupid enough to start.”

Tillou (nee Eller) was born in Centerville, Pennsylvania, and raised in Buffalo. In the late 1920s she studied at the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy and the renowned Provincetown Summer School of Art in Massachusetts.

In 1932, she married attorney Manley B. Tillou. Over the next six years she had three sons: Manley, Peter, and Dana. She continued to study art. Her teachers included Edwin Dickinson, Dr. William Hekking, and Seymour Drumlevitch.

Tillou was one of the first to recognize the special nature of Buffalo’s Allentown district, and fought hard for preservation.

She formed a loose artistic association with a Buffalo-based group who called themselves the Oakland Artists. The group included Charlotte Albright, Grace McKendry, Nancy Jewett, and Elizabeth Tower. Tillou exhibited several times at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and in 1985 was honored with a one-woman show at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center.

Critics called her work “joyous.” Her son Dana says, “…my mother’s paintings are symbolic of the good things in life—family, friends, good food, nature celebrations. That seems to sum up her philosophy and reasons to paint.”