Alice Best (1870-1926)

Born in Stockton, California, Alice Best grew up in a mining environment. In her late teens, she was sent to Hawaii for two years to recover from tuberculosis. Then she moved to San Francisco where she married Arthur Best, an artist, and from 1897 to 1920, they ran the Best School of Art at 1625 California Street. She also lectured widely on art, philosophy and political trends, and campaigned for women’s suffrage. Her artistic style ranged from Barbizon to Impressionism, and her subjects were landscapes of California including the Bay Area and Yosemite.