The Center for Adlerian Practice and Scholarship (CAPS) on May 9 unveiled three pieces of artwork that will now be showcased on campus in Chicago, including a pastel landscape by artist Sadie “Tee” Garland Dreikurs, founder of the oldest art therapy program in the country and wife of Adler University’s founder, Rudolf Dreikurs.
The two other pieces were painted by artist and educator Leon Garland, Tee Dreikurs’ first husband. One is a watercolor depicting Depression-era musicians; the other is a portrait of then-39-year-old Tee Dreikurs. Garland died in 1941 at the age of 45.
“We are very fortunate to have these works of art by two people at the root of our shared Adlerian history, one of whom founded our very own art therapy program,” said Jennifer La Civita, Psy.D., program director and department chair of Adler’s Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Art Therapy programs. “These artists and their work have immense influence in how we view art’s healing power, especially in mental health. To be able to showcase these pieces means so much to the University.”
The three paintings were donated to CAPS by Vaso Georgulis Powers and her daughter Sarah Powers, and from their private family collection. The Powers family were friends of Tee Dreikurs, a pioneer in the field of art therapy who gifted them the paintings. An accomplished Chicago sculptor and ceramist, Vaso Powers said she remembers Tee Dreikurs well and considered her an early influence in her pursuit to become an artist.
“When my children suggested we donate these pieces to Adler University, it just seemed like the most natural thing,” said Vaso Powers, adding that her ex-husband, Robert, was a student and colleague of Rudolf Dreikurs, and an esteemed professor at the then-Adler School of Professional Psychology, which became Adler University in 2015.
“As we get older as artists, we start thinking about where some of our pieces or belongings will end up,” Vaso Powers said. “I’m glad they’ve found a home at Adler.”
Both Vaso and Sarah were present during the unveiling of the newly framed paintings during the 2025 Adlerian Summit, held at Adler University in Chicago. This year’s theme, “The Human, the Artist, the Builder: Creating a Thriving Humanity — One Step, One Stroke, One Brick at a Time,” focused on unlocking what Alfred Adler once called the “third force of psychology” — an individual’s creative power.
Tee Dreikurs and Leon Garland’s individual creative power are certainly on full display in the three donated paintings.
Little is known about Tee Dreikurs’ landscape, but it is believed to depict a summer camp near Waukegan, Illinois, where she taught art to the children and families from Hull House, a settlement house for newly arrived European immigrants in Chicago and was co-founded by Jane Addams, the first American woman awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The summer camp provided respite for mothers and their children.
Garland’s painting of Depression-era men and musicians reflects a common theme in his work, which often showcased optimism amid challenging times. Considered an impressionist and modern painter, Garland was born in Russia in 1896 and arrived in Chicago in 1917.
Lastly, Garland’s portrait of his wife was painted in 1939 when Tee Dreikurs was serving as one of the administrators of Hull House after Addams’s death. It is known from Tee Dreikurs’ memoir, “Cows Can Be Purple,” that she missed Addams terribly and was overwhelmed by the work she was doing to carry on Addams’ legacy. This piece depicts a hint of sadness that Tee Dreikurs may have been feeling at the time.
The trio of paintings were reframed, thanks to a donation by Adler alum Ruth Katz.
Both Tee Dreikurs and Garland were children of Jewish immigrants, attended classes at the School of the Art Institute, and lived at Hull House. Addams organized their wedding reception.
Two years after Garland’s death, Tee and Rudolf Dreikurs married. Rudolf, who emigrated from Austria, founded the American Society of Adlerian Psychology (now the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology) and the Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago, which evolved into Adler University.
It was at the Institute where Tee Dreikurs created Adlerian art therapy, which continues to be shared and taught worldwide. Her memoir, which focuses on her work at Hull House, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and at the Alfred Adler Institute, is one of the first books art therapy students at the University read.
“Tee Dreikurs is internationally known as one of the matriarchs of art therapy. As an artist, she was drawn to social-realism, post-impressionism, and Cubism, creating still-life paintings, nudes, and portraits,” Dr. La Civita said. “Tee and Leon’s artwork emits human dignity and hope for a better world. It is a great honor to have these pieces be part of the University’s permanent art collection.”