Celebration of Female Artists, part II

While I continue my down-the-stretch editing of Rain Dodging,, enjoy these works of seven lesser known women artists!

Fern Isabel Coppedge was an American impressionist painter. Born in Decatur, Illinois, she spent much of her life in Pennsylvania where she was associated with the New Hope School of American Impressionism, the Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Philadelphia Art Alliance, and what became known as the Pennsylvania Impressionism movement.

Grace Robertson UK,1930-2021, who stood 6ft 2 in her bare feet, was a British photographer and observer of British life who championed the lives and work of women throughout her career. Grace Robertson’s work is held in the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland, Science Museum Group, Tate and Victoria and Albert Museum. Robertson was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society in 1995and appointed an OBE in 1999. (An OBE is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award, excluding a knighthood/damehood), She also received honorary degrees from the University of Brighton and Brunel University.

Romaine Brooks (1874–1970) lived most of her life in Paris where she was a leading figure of an artistic counterculture of upper-class Europeans and American expatriates, many of whom were creative and bohemian. Brooks crafted an androgynous appearance that challenged conventional ideas of how women should look and behave, and these ideas extended to many of the portraits she painted in the 1920s, which are some of her best-known works.

British artist, Carolyn King has worked in London, Paris, and Cornwall, all places that influence her satirical observation of daily life. She studied at Sir John Cass, Central St. Martins and Chelsea Schools of Art and has exhibited and taught widely in both 2 and 3D.

American watercolor artist, Jeannie Vodden lives in the foothills of the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Jackson, Ca. A versatile painter of portraits, still life, floral, landscape and fantasy, she has taught workshops throughout California and in Wyoming and Washington State for over 20 years. “I love using pure staining transparent hues.  My method is to use a glazing process, in which I apply layer upon layer, changing color and letting it mix on the paper. I use a very limited palette. I start with only three colors and then sometimes broaden out my choices to six or 8, very seldom using more.”

New Zealand painter, Rita Angus, (1908-1970) credited as one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art. She is well known for her portraits and landscapes. This painting results from a sketching trip to Central Otago, a landscape made up of different scenes that she sketched during her travels. Every feature is painted in meticulous detail, and the entire scene is bathed with golden light.

Swedish painter and calligrapher Julia Beck 1853 – 1935 was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the daughter of a bookkeeper. She studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts and then at the Academie Julian in Paris . Afterwards, she settled in France, where she was to spend most of the rest of her life.  As a professional artist, she specialized in portraits for financial reasons, and she was one of the few Swedish women artists of her generation able to support herself through her art. However, her preferred genre was landscape, and she became known for atmospheric Impressionist landscapes painted in a somewhat muted palette. In 1934, she was awarded the French Legion of Honour.

Escofet’s parents are artists. As a result, she was always surrounded by books and objects that sparked her curiosity. After moving to the UK, Escofet studied 3 D design with specialty in pottery at the university. After concluding her formal education, the artist explored the art of in-depth painting. Like her father, Escofet is self taught in this medium and spent a lot of time experimenting with various techniques and materials.  ′′My mother has a wonderful stillness and calm interior and really wanted to convey these qualities in the piece, ” says Escofet. “Drinking tea is one of the greatest pleasures of her life, and also provided a resource to make her hands a central part of the painting.” 

American artist who creates quirky Americana nostalgia paintings loaded with humor. The impressionist great masters are the people she refers to most for inspiration: Pissarro, Hassam, the Dutch masters, Vuillard, She has a huge library of their work and goes to museums to study their work. She schooled herself, never took an art class, afraid that someone would try to change her style and process. 

Joan Eardley (1921-1963) is one of Scotland’s most popular twentieth century artists. Her powerful and expressive paintings transformed her everyday surroundings, including the rugged Scottish coastline and Glasgow’s street children. During her lifetime she was considered a member of the post war British avant-garde, who portrayed the realities of life in the mid-twentieth century. She was only 42 when she died from breast cancer.

If you enjoyed this post, take a peek at my blog, First impressions, dated July 6, 2021, where I call attention to female impressionist painters. https://susanjgodwin.com/first-impressions/