Fern Isabel Coppedge (1883-1951): One Woman's Struggle for Equality in the Art World

By Les and Sue Fox

This is the inspirational story of Fern Isabel Coppedge (1883-1951), a Kansas farm girl who became America's finest female winter landscape artist in the 1920's and 1930's. After marrying a high school science teacher in 1904, Fern managed to attend The Chicago Art Institute, the Art Students League and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with only the support of her husband and family. Defying the male art establishment, she refused to accept unfair treatment and competed against well known men artists to win dozens of prizes. In 1922, she joined The Philadelphia Ten, an all-women's art organization who helped members earn a good living selling paintings to female art collectors. This biography and catalogue raisonne features over 1,000 illustrations including 400 authenticated paintings by Coppedge, many of which are in museums.

In this book you will read about the amazing accomplishments of an artist who voted in the first U.S. Presidential election in which women were allowed to vote (1920), and whose beautiful oil paintings of New Hope, PA and Gloucester, MA remind us of the way America looked before industry and progress ruined the quaintness of small towns everywhere. The book also traces the history of women in art for 500 years, including famous women artists like Mary Cassatt and Georgia O'Keeffe.

Hardcover, 260 pages, 9.25 x 1 x 12.25". Full Color Images.

Copyright 2021 Les and Sue Fox with West Highland Publishing.