Fern Isabel Kuns Coppedge stands as a significant figure in American art history, particularly celebrated for her contributions to the Pennsylvania Impressionist movement. Active during the first half of the 20th century, she carved a unique niche with her vibrant, color-drenched landscapes, especially her iconic depictions of snow-covered scenes in Bucks County. Her work is characterized by a bold application of paint, a distinctive compositional sense, and an unwavering dedication to capturing the essence of the natural world, often braving harsh conditions to paint directly from nature. As a prominent member of the Philadelphia Ten, she also played a crucial role in advancing the recognition of women artists in a predominantly male field.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening
Fern Isabel Kuns was born on July 28, 1883, in Decatur, Illinois. Her childhood was spent on a farm near the town, an environment that likely fostered an early appreciation for the rhythms and beauty of the natural landscape. Growing up in a large family, with five sisters and one brother, provided a bustling backdrop to her formative years. A pivotal moment in her artistic journey occurred when she was thirteen years old.
At that age, Fern moved to California to live with an older sister. It was there that she received her first formal introduction to the world of art, taking lessons in watercolor painting. This initial exposure ignited a passion for visual expression that would shape the course of her life. The experience in California planted the seed of ambition to become a professional artist, a path she would pursue with remarkable determination.
Formal Artistic Training
Returning to the Midwest, Coppedge continued her education, attending McPherson College in Kansas and later the University of Kansas. However, her desire to focus intensely on art led her eastward. Between 1908 and 1910, she enrolled at the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago, immersing herself in a more rigorous artistic environment. This period was crucial for honing her foundational skills and broadening her understanding of art history and technique.
Her quest for artistic knowledge did not stop there. Coppedge sought instruction from some of the most respected artists and institutions of her time. She traveled to New York City to study at the Art Students League, a vibrant hub for aspiring artists. There, she benefited from the tutelage of Frank Vincent DuMond, an influential Impressionist painter and renowned teacher known for his theories on color and light. She also studied with William Merritt Chase, a leading figure in American Impressionism, known for his bravura brushwork and emphasis on capturing fleeting moments.
Coppedge further refined her skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia, one of the oldest and most esteemed art schools in the United States. At PAFA, she studied under Daniel Garber, a central figure in the Pennsylvania Impressionist movement. Garber's influence was significant, not only in terms of technique but also in guiding her towards the scenic beauty of the Bucks County region, which would become her primary source of inspiration.
A Home in Bucks County
In 1920, Fern Coppedge, now married to Robert W. Coppedge, made a life-altering move to Pennsylvania. Initially settling in Lumberville, a small village along the Delaware River, she later established her home and studio in the nearby town of New Hope. This area, already renowned as an burgeoning art colony, provided the perfect environment for her artistic pursuits. New Hope and its surroundings were attracting artists drawn to the picturesque landscapes, charming villages, and the supportive community of fellow creatives.
By settling in Bucks County, Coppedge placed herself at the heart of the Pennsylvania Impressionist movement, also known as the New Hope School. This group of artists, while diverse in their individual styles, shared a common interest in landscape painting, often working en plein air (outdoors) to capture the effects of light and atmosphere directly. Coppedge quickly became an integral part of this artistic milieu, drawing inspiration from the rolling hills, winding river, and quaint architecture of the region.
The Essence of Coppedge's Style
Fern Coppedge developed a highly personal and recognizable artistic style. While rooted in Impressionism, particularly the American variant practiced by her teachers, her work pushed beyond its typical boundaries, incorporating elements often associated with Post-Impressionism and even a touch of Fauvism in its bold color choices. Her style is less about the delicate, broken brushwork of French Impressionism and more about strong, declarative color and simplified, powerful compositions.
A hallmark of her technique was her audacious use of color. She favored vibrant, often unmodulated hues applied directly to the canvas, sometimes straight from the tube. She deliberately used contrasting colors—bright blues against oranges, vivid reds and purples set against snowy whites—to create a sense of energy and visual excitement. This approach differed significantly from the more tonal or naturalistic palettes used by some of her contemporaries. Critics noted an influence from French Post-Impressionists like Armand Guillaumin, known for his intense color, and sometimes described her work as having a "primitive" or Henri Rousseau-like intensity in its directness and clarity.
Her compositions are often characterized by a strong sense of design and a unique perspective. She frequently employed high horizons or flattened perspectives, emphasizing patterns and shapes within the landscape. This gives many of her paintings a decorative quality, focusing the viewer's attention on the interplay of color and form rather than solely on realistic representation. The overall effect is one of vitality, optimism, and a deeply personal connection to the scenes she depicted.
Mastering the Winter Landscape
While Coppedge painted Bucks County in all seasons, she became particularly renowned for her winter landscapes. Snow scenes dominate her oeuvre and are widely considered her most iconic and sought-after works. Unlike many artists who portray winter as bleak or monochromatic, Coppedge infused her snowscapes with brilliant color and light, often capturing the dazzling effect of bright sunlight on a snow-covered world.
She saw winter not as an absence of color, but as an opportunity to explore a different kind of chromatic intensity. The blues and purples in the shadows of snowbanks, the warm glow of sunlight on village houses, and the stark silhouettes of trees against a vibrant sky became signature elements of her winter paintings. She conveyed the crisp air, the deep stillness, and the underlying structure of the landscape revealed by the snow.
Her dedication to capturing these scenes authentically led her to become a committed plein air painter, regardless of the weather. Anecdotes abound about her resilience and determination. Most famously, she was known to venture out in the coldest weather, sometimes driving her paint-mobile (a car adapted to serve as a mobile studio) to remote locations. One often-repeated story tells of her painting during a blizzard, having reportedly tied her canvas to a tree to prevent it from blowing away. This tenacity speaks volumes about her commitment to capturing the raw, immediate experience of nature.
Iconic Works
Throughout her prolific career, estimated to encompass over 5000 paintings, Fern Coppedge created numerous works that exemplify her unique style. Among her representative pieces are:
Cobb's Creek Winter: This painting showcases her mastery of the snow scene. It likely depicts Cobb's Creek, possibly near Philadelphia before her full immersion in Bucks County, rendered with her characteristic vibrant blues in the shadows and snow, contrasted with the warm tones of buildings or landscape elements under sunlight. The composition would emphasize the patterns and forms created by the snow-laden environment.
The Cider Mill: This subject, depicting a common feature of the rural Pennsylvania landscape, allowed Coppedge to explore the interplay between rustic architecture and the surrounding nature. Such a work would likely feature bold colors defining the structure of the mill and the textures of its materials, set against the backdrop of the season, possibly autumn or winter, rendered with her signature palette.
The Coal Barge (c. 1940): This painting offers a glimpse into the industrial aspects coexisting with the pastoral beauty of the region. Depicting a coal barge on the Delaware Canal, a vital waterway in Bucks County's history, the work likely uses strong lines and vibrant colors to portray the barge and the water, perhaps contrasting the man-made elements with the natural setting along the canal banks. It reflects her interest in capturing all facets of the local scenery.
These works, and many others like them, demonstrate Coppedge's consistent artistic vision: a focus on the Pennsylvania landscape, rendered with exuberant color, strong design, and a deeply felt emotional response to the subject matter.
The Philadelphia Ten: A Collective Voice
Fern Coppedge was an active and important member of "The Philadelphia Ten," a pioneering group of women artists founded in Philadelphia in 1917. The group, which eventually included painters and sculptors, aimed to provide exhibition opportunities and mutual support for its members at a time when the art world offered limited avenues for female artists to gain recognition. Most members had trained at prominent Philadelphia institutions like the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts or the Philadelphia School of Design for Women (now Moore College of Art & Design).
Coppedge joined the group shortly after its formation and remained an active participant for many years. The Philadelphia Ten organized annual exhibitions in Philadelphia and also sent traveling shows across the country, significantly increasing the visibility of its members. Being part of this collective was crucial for Coppedge and her peers, offering solidarity and a platform to showcase their work independently of the male-dominated jury systems of major exhibitions.
Other notable members of The Philadelphia Ten included artists such as M. Elizabeth Price (known for floral paintings with gold and silver leaf), Theresa Bernstein (a versatile painter of urban scenes and coastal life), and Isabel Branson Cartwright (a landscape and portrait painter). The group's success demonstrated the talent and professionalism of its members and contributed significantly to the gradual acceptance of women artists in the American art scene. Coppedge's involvement underscores her commitment not only to her own career but also to the broader cause of women in the arts.
Affiliations and Community
Beyond The Philadelphia Ten, Fern Coppedge was involved in other artistic organizations that fostered community and provided exhibition venues. She was a member of The Plastic Club in Philadelphia, one of the oldest art clubs for women in the United States, founded in 1897. The Plastic Club played a vital role in the cultural life of Philadelphia, offering classes, lectures, and regular exhibitions.
Through The Plastic Club, Coppedge would have interacted with other prominent Philadelphia women artists, including figures like Blanche Dillaye, an etcher and painter, and members of the influential Sartain family, such as Emily Sartain (an engraver and director of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women) and Harriet Sartain (a painter and designer). These affiliations provided valuable networks for professional exchange and support.
Her move to New Hope also integrated her into the fabric of the New Hope art colony. While she maintained her distinct style, she was undoubtedly part of the broader circle of Pennsylvania Impressionists. This group included leading male figures such as Edward Redfield, known for his vigorous, large-scale snow scenes; Walter Schofield, another powerful landscape painter; Daniel Garber, her former teacher, celebrated for his luminous, tapestry-like depictions of the Delaware River valley; George Sotter, famed for his nocturnes and stained glass; and Rae Sloan Bredin, known for his more lyrical, decorative garden scenes. Coppedge held her own within this talented group, contributing her unique, color-focused perspective.
Influences and Contemporaries Revisited
Fern Coppedge's artistic development was shaped by a confluence of influences. Her formal training under William Merritt Chase, Frank Vincent DuMond, and Daniel Garber provided a strong foundation in Impressionist techniques and plein air practice. However, her independent spirit led her to synthesize these lessons with other sources. The impact of French Post-Impressionism, particularly the color explorations of artists like Armand Guillaumin, is evident in her vibrant palette and expressive application of paint.
While working alongside the male titans of the New Hope School like Edward Redfield and Walter Schofield, Coppedge forged her own path. Where Redfield's work often conveyed the rugged power and atmospheric chill of winter through thick impasto and a more tonal palette, Coppedge focused on the brilliance of light and the decorative potential of color, even in the depths of winter. Her work offers a different, often more optimistic, interpretation of the same landscapes.
In the broader context of American art during her active years, Coppedge worked contemporaneously with other major American Impressionists like Childe Hassam, who captured the bustling life of cities and the charm of New England, and figures like Mary Cassatt, although Cassatt belonged to an earlier generation and focused primarily on figures rather than landscape. Coppedge's unique contribution lies in her fusion of Impressionist observation with a Post-Impressionist color sensibility, applied specifically to the landscapes of eastern Pennsylvania.
Recognition and Enduring Legacy
Fern Coppedge achieved considerable recognition during her lifetime. She exhibited widely, not only with The Philadelphia Ten and The Plastic Club but also at major institutions like the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the National Academy of Design in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. She received numerous awards and honors for her work, testament to the positive reception from critics and the public.
Her prolific output, estimated at over 5,000 paintings, ensured a wide distribution of her work. She was known for her determination and professional approach to her career, actively marketing her paintings from her studio in New Hope, which itself became a local landmark. She continued painting actively until shortly before her death.
Fern Isabel Coppedge passed away on April 21, 1951, in New Hope, Pennsylvania, the town and region she had so vividly captured in her art. She left behind a significant body of work and an enduring legacy. Her paintings are prized for their vibrant beauty, their unique interpretation of the Pennsylvania landscape, and their embodiment of a pioneering female spirit in American art.
Today, her works are held in numerous public and private collections, including the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, which has a significant collection of works by Pennsylvania Impressionists. Her paintings continue to be highly sought after by collectors, consistently performing well at auctions, which underscores her lasting importance in the canon of American Impressionism. She is remembered not only as a master colorist and painter of joyous snow scenes but also as a trailblazer who helped pave the way for future generations of women artists.
Conclusion
Fern Isabel Coppedge remains a compelling and important figure in American art. As a key member of the Pennsylvania Impressionist movement and The Philadelphia Ten, she distinguished herself through a unique artistic vision characterized by bold color, strong design, and an unwavering focus on the landscapes of Bucks County. Her vibrant snow scenes, in particular, stand as iconic contributions to American landscape painting. More than just a talented artist, Coppedge was a resilient and determined professional who navigated the challenges faced by women artists in the early 20th century, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to captivate and inspire. Her enduring light shines brightly within the history of Pennsylvania Impressionism.
