Bernard Jackson "Bernie" Felch, 83, artist, of Landenberg, PA died October 30, 2008 after a brief illness.
He is survived by his wife Rosamond L. duPont, his brother Kenneth Felch, daughters Andrea, Lindsey, Meredith, and son Lucas, as well as stepchildren Gus, Frank, Maria, Sophie, and Louis, and sixteen grandchildren.
Bernie grew up in Rochester NY, graduated from West High School, earning a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware.
He served in the 102nd Infantry Division in World War II.
Following the war he studied painting in Paris and in New York, at the Arts Students League.
An accomplished watercolorist, sculptor, and ceramicist, Bernie worked with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
He taught and inspired students at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA, Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA, the Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE, and became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Oxford, PA. After retiring from Lincoln in 1998, he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE.
Bernie's work has been shown extensively, featuring installations in Delaware and Pennsylvania museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections.
A show of his new watercolors is opening at Bookplace in Oxford, PA on November 7, from 5 to 8 pm. Friends, family, and art-lovers are invited to celebrate Bernie's spirit and life's work.
An obituary was published in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester NY, on Nov. 2, He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Felch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Local artist Bernard Jackson Felch, known by many as "Bernie", of Landenberg, Pa. passed away recently after a brief illness. His death happened just days before his display of new watercolors, titled A Mini-Retrospective: 60 Years of Painting and Ceramics, 1947-2007, was set to open at Bookplace in Oxford."When Bernie [Felch] knew he was dying, he told the family he wanted the show at Bookplace in November to go on," said Dr. Richard Beards, board member of the Oxford Arts Alliance (OAA) and owner of Bookplace. "It became his memorial and hundreds came."
Beards says that so many people from all over the world came to Felch's final showcase that they opened a second studio for the overflow at the Oxford Center for Dance. A member of the fire police directed traffic as art lovers and Felch fans from places such as Georgia, Vermont, California and even as far as Vienna Austria visited the two studios.
"It seemed like people came from everywhere-artists, students, friends, family and neighbors," said Beards. "Bernie would have love it-he liked people."
As part of the cultural movement that Oxford has been experiencing lately-the First Friday Art Strolls and the opening of the Oxford Arts Alliance Gallery, to name a few-local artists are being given the opportunity to showcase their work and talent in local venues.
Felch was one of these many artists, dedicated to the craft, who were showcasing their work in the Oxford area, and he was an advocate for other artists to do the same by serving as a board member of the OAA.
The OAA is a community-based non-profit organization which provides leadership and advocacy for the arts and culture. As a board member for the OAA, Felch helped to raise awareness of local talent-such as his ownand to offer an outlet for artists of all mediums to display and take pride in their work.
Felch, who was 83 years young, spent much of his adult life mastering his skill and sharing his technique and knowledge with others.
After graduating from West High School in Rochester, N.Y., Felch earned a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware. Then, after serving in World War II, Felch took to studying painting in Paris and New York at the Arts Students League.
He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Filch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pluralism – in art as well as in craft – typifies the work of the late Bernard Jackson Felch. Influenced by painters like Paul Cézanne and sculptors and potters like his mentor, Frans Wildenhain, Felch explored a diverse range of media that included oil, watercolor, wood and ceramic and left a widely varied body of work when he passed away at age 83 in 2008.
A selection of his oeuvre currently is on display in Delaware College of Art and Design’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery as “Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch.”
Felch, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., served in the United States Army during World War II and then completed a bachelor of arts degree at Williams College. He also studied at Academie de la Grande Chaumiere and Academie Julien in Paris, Instituto del’Arte in Florence and New York’s Art Students League. In addition, he worked under the Bauhaus-trained Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester and earned a master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware.
Before becoming chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Felch taught at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., the Tatnall School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware and served as Newark High School’s 1972 Artist in Residence. After retiring from Lincoln University with 21 years of service in 1998, the longtime Landenberg, Pa., resident served as a ceramics instructor at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, taught at Wilmington’s Urban Environmental Center and gave numerous workshops in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Since 1958, Felch’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Many of his pieces are included in private collections, and many are owned by corporations, educational institutions and museums. Two of his large-scale brick works, “In the Park” (1986-87) and “Dream Stele” (1988), are part of the permanent collection installed in the Delaware Art Museum’s sculpture garden.
All of the pieces in “Paintings, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” are for sale. A book about his life and work, “The Art of Bernard Jackson Felch,” also is available for purchase at the show. This volume was created by his daughter, Lindsey Felch; his widow, Rosamund du Pont; designer Jeff Smith; and photographer Terence Roberts. It includes essays by Delaware Art Museum curator Margaret Winslow, painters Gus Sermas and Ruth Miller and architect Benedict O’Looney.
“Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” continues in DCAD’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery through Jan. 19. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public.
Posted on ArtWeek on 7 January 2019 - 11:15pm
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He is survived by his wife Rosamond L. duPont, his brother Kenneth Felch, daughters Andrea, Lindsey, Meredith, and son Lucas, as well as stepchildren Gus, Frank, Maria, Sophie, and Louis, and sixteen grandchildren.
Bernie grew up in Rochester NY, graduated from West High School, earning a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware.
He served in the 102nd Infantry Division in World War II.
Following the war he studied painting in Paris and in New York, at the Arts Students League.
An accomplished watercolorist, sculptor, and ceramicist, Bernie worked with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
He taught and inspired students at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA, Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA, the Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE, and became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Oxford, PA. After retiring from Lincoln in 1998, he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE.
Bernie's work has been shown extensively, featuring installations in Delaware and Pennsylvania museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections.
A show of his new watercolors is opening at Bookplace in Oxford, PA on November 7, from 5 to 8 pm. Friends, family, and art-lovers are invited to celebrate Bernie's spirit and life's work.
An obituary was published in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester NY, on Nov. 2, He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Felch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Local artist Bernard Jackson Felch, known by many as "Bernie", of Landenberg, Pa. passed away recently after a brief illness. His death happened just days before his display of new watercolors, titled A Mini-Retrospective: 60 Years of Painting and Ceramics, 1947-2007, was set to open at Bookplace in Oxford."When Bernie [Felch] knew he was dying, he told the family he wanted the show at Bookplace in November to go on," said Dr. Richard Beards, board member of the Oxford Arts Alliance (OAA) and owner of Bookplace. "It became his memorial and hundreds came."
Beards says that so many people from all over the world came to Felch's final showcase that they opened a second studio for the overflow at the Oxford Center for Dance. A member of the fire police directed traffic as art lovers and Felch fans from places such as Georgia, Vermont, California and even as far as Vienna Austria visited the two studios.
"It seemed like people came from everywhere-artists, students, friends, family and neighbors," said Beards. "Bernie would have love it-he liked people."
As part of the cultural movement that Oxford has been experiencing lately-the First Friday Art Strolls and the opening of the Oxford Arts Alliance Gallery, to name a few-local artists are being given the opportunity to showcase their work and talent in local venues.
Felch was one of these many artists, dedicated to the craft, who were showcasing their work in the Oxford area, and he was an advocate for other artists to do the same by serving as a board member of the OAA.
The OAA is a community-based non-profit organization which provides leadership and advocacy for the arts and culture. As a board member for the OAA, Felch helped to raise awareness of local talent-such as his ownand to offer an outlet for artists of all mediums to display and take pride in their work.
Felch, who was 83 years young, spent much of his adult life mastering his skill and sharing his technique and knowledge with others.
After graduating from West High School in Rochester, N.Y., Felch earned a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware. Then, after serving in World War II, Felch took to studying painting in Paris and New York at the Arts Students League.
He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Filch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pluralism – in art as well as in craft – typifies the work of the late Bernard Jackson Felch. Influenced by painters like Paul Cézanne and sculptors and potters like his mentor, Frans Wildenhain, Felch explored a diverse range of media that included oil, watercolor, wood and ceramic and left a widely varied body of work when he passed away at age 83 in 2008.
A selection of his oeuvre currently is on display in Delaware College of Art and Design’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery as “Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch.”
Felch, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., served in the United States Army during World War II and then completed a bachelor of arts degree at Williams College. He also studied at Academie de la Grande Chaumiere and Academie Julien in Paris, Instituto del’Arte in Florence and New York’s Art Students League. In addition, he worked under the Bauhaus-trained Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester and earned a master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware.
Before becoming chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Felch taught at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., the Tatnall School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware and served as Newark High School’s 1972 Artist in Residence. After retiring from Lincoln University with 21 years of service in 1998, the longtime Landenberg, Pa., resident served as a ceramics instructor at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, taught at Wilmington’s Urban Environmental Center and gave numerous workshops in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Since 1958, Felch’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Many of his pieces are included in private collections, and many are owned by corporations, educational institutions and museums. Two of his large-scale brick works, “In the Park” (1986-87) and “Dream Stele” (1988), are part of the permanent collection installed in the Delaware Art Museum’s sculpture garden.
All of the pieces in “Paintings, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” are for sale. A book about his life and work, “The Art of Bernard Jackson Felch,” also is available for purchase at the show. This volume was created by his daughter, Lindsey Felch; his widow, Rosamund du Pont; designer Jeff Smith; and photographer Terence Roberts. It includes essays by Delaware Art Museum curator Margaret Winslow, painters Gus Sermas and Ruth Miller and architect Benedict O’Looney.
“Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” continues in DCAD’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery through Jan. 19. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public.
Posted on ArtWeek on 7 January 2019 - 11:15pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bernard Jackson "Bernie" Felch, 83, artist, of Landenberg, PA died October 30, 2008 after a brief illness.
He is survived by his wife Rosamond L. duPont, his brother Kenneth Felch, daughters Andrea, Lindsey, Meredith, and son Lucas, as well as stepchildren Gus, Frank, Maria, Sophie, and Louis, and sixteen grandchildren.
Bernie grew up in Rochester NY, graduated from West High School, earning a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware.
He served in the 102nd Infantry Division in World War II.
Following the war he studied painting in Paris and in New York, at the Arts Students League.
An accomplished watercolorist, sculptor, and ceramicist, Bernie worked with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
He taught and inspired students at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA, Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA, the Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE, and became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Oxford, PA. After retiring from Lincoln in 1998, he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE.
Bernie's work has been shown extensively, featuring installations in Delaware and Pennsylvania museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections.
A show of his new watercolors is opening at Bookplace in Oxford, PA on November 7, from 5 to 8 pm. Friends, family, and art-lovers are invited to celebrate Bernie's spirit and life's work.
An obituary was published in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester NY, on Nov. 2, He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Felch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Local artist Bernard Jackson Felch, known by many as "Bernie", of Landenberg, Pa. passed away recently after a brief illness. His death happened just days before his display of new watercolors, titled A Mini-Retrospective: 60 Years of Painting and Ceramics, 1947-2007, was set to open at Bookplace in Oxford."When Bernie [Felch] knew he was dying, he told the family he wanted the show at Bookplace in November to go on," said Dr. Richard Beards, board member of the Oxford Arts Alliance (OAA) and owner of Bookplace. "It became his memorial and hundreds came."
Beards says that so many people from all over the world came to Felch's final showcase that they opened a second studio for the overflow at the Oxford Center for Dance. A member of the fire police directed traffic as art lovers and Felch fans from places such as Georgia, Vermont, California and even as far as Vienna Austria visited the two studios.
"It seemed like people came from everywhere-artists, students, friends, family and neighbors," said Beards. "Bernie would have love it-he liked people."
As part of the cultural movement that Oxford has been experiencing lately-the First Friday Art Strolls and the opening of the Oxford Arts Alliance Gallery, to name a few-local artists are being given the opportunity to showcase their work and talent in local venues.
Felch was one of these many artists, dedicated to the craft, who were showcasing their work in the Oxford area, and he was an advocate for other artists to do the same by serving as a board member of the OAA.
The OAA is a community-based non-profit organization which provides leadership and advocacy for the arts and culture. As a board member for the OAA, Felch helped to raise awareness of local talent-such as his ownand to offer an outlet for artists of all mediums to display and take pride in their work.
Felch, who was 83 years young, spent much of his adult life mastering his skill and sharing his technique and knowledge with others.
After graduating from West High School in Rochester, N.Y., Felch earned a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware. Then, after serving in World War II, Felch took to studying painting in Paris and New York at the Arts Students League.
He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Filch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pluralism – in art as well as in craft – typifies the work of the late Bernard Jackson Felch. Influenced by painters like Paul Cézanne and sculptors and potters like his mentor, Frans Wildenhain, Felch explored a diverse range of media that included oil, watercolor, wood and ceramic and left a widely varied body of work when he passed away at age 83 in 2008.
A selection of his oeuvre currently is on display in Delaware College of Art and Design’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery as “Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch.”
Felch, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., served in the United States Army during World War II and then completed a bachelor of arts degree at Williams College. He also studied at Academie de la Grande Chaumiere and Academie Julien in Paris, Instituto del’Arte in Florence and New York’s Art Students League. In addition, he worked under the Bauhaus-trained Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester and earned a master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware.
Before becoming chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Felch taught at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., the Tatnall School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware and served as Newark High School’s 1972 Artist in Residence. After retiring from Lincoln University with 21 years of service in 1998, the longtime Landenberg, Pa., resident served as a ceramics instructor at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, taught at Wilmington’s Urban Environmental Center and gave numerous workshops in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Since 1958, Felch’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Many of his pieces are included in private collections, and many are owned by corporations, educational institutions and museums. Two of his large-scale brick works, “In the Park” (1986-87) and “Dream Stele” (1988), are part of the permanent collection installed in the Delaware Art Museum’s sculpture garden.
All of the pieces in “Paintings, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” are for sale. A book about his life and work, “The Art of Bernard Jackson Felch,” also is available for purchase at the show. This volume was created by his daughter, Lindsey Felch; his widow, Rosamund du Pont; designer Jeff Smith; and photographer Terence Roberts. It includes essays by Delaware Art Museum curator Margaret Winslow, painters Gus Sermas and Ruth Miller and architect Benedict O’Looney.
“Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” continues in DCAD’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery through Jan. 19. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public.
Posted on ArtWeek on 7 January 2019 - 11:15pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He is survived by his wife Rosamond L. duPont, his brother Kenneth Felch, daughters Andrea, Lindsey, Meredith, and son Lucas, as well as stepchildren Gus, Frank, Maria, Sophie, and Louis, and sixteen grandchildren.
Bernie grew up in Rochester NY, graduated from West High School, earning a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware.
He served in the 102nd Infantry Division in World War II.
Following the war he studied painting in Paris and in New York, at the Arts Students League.
An accomplished watercolorist, sculptor, and ceramicist, Bernie worked with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
He taught and inspired students at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA, Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA, the Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE, and became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Oxford, PA. After retiring from Lincoln in 1998, he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE.
Bernie's work has been shown extensively, featuring installations in Delaware and Pennsylvania museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections.
A show of his new watercolors is opening at Bookplace in Oxford, PA on November 7, from 5 to 8 pm. Friends, family, and art-lovers are invited to celebrate Bernie's spirit and life's work.
An obituary was published in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester NY, on Nov. 2, He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Felch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Local artist Bernard Jackson Felch, known by many as "Bernie", of Landenberg, Pa. passed away recently after a brief illness. His death happened just days before his display of new watercolors, titled A Mini-Retrospective: 60 Years of Painting and Ceramics, 1947-2007, was set to open at Bookplace in Oxford."When Bernie [Felch] knew he was dying, he told the family he wanted the show at Bookplace in November to go on," said Dr. Richard Beards, board member of the Oxford Arts Alliance (OAA) and owner of Bookplace. "It became his memorial and hundreds came."
Beards says that so many people from all over the world came to Felch's final showcase that they opened a second studio for the overflow at the Oxford Center for Dance. A member of the fire police directed traffic as art lovers and Felch fans from places such as Georgia, Vermont, California and even as far as Vienna Austria visited the two studios.
"It seemed like people came from everywhere-artists, students, friends, family and neighbors," said Beards. "Bernie would have love it-he liked people."
As part of the cultural movement that Oxford has been experiencing lately-the First Friday Art Strolls and the opening of the Oxford Arts Alliance Gallery, to name a few-local artists are being given the opportunity to showcase their work and talent in local venues.
Felch was one of these many artists, dedicated to the craft, who were showcasing their work in the Oxford area, and he was an advocate for other artists to do the same by serving as a board member of the OAA.
The OAA is a community-based non-profit organization which provides leadership and advocacy for the arts and culture. As a board member for the OAA, Felch helped to raise awareness of local talent-such as his ownand to offer an outlet for artists of all mediums to display and take pride in their work.
Felch, who was 83 years young, spent much of his adult life mastering his skill and sharing his technique and knowledge with others.
After graduating from West High School in Rochester, N.Y., Felch earned a B.A. from Williams College and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware. Then, after serving in World War II, Felch took to studying painting in Paris and New York at the Arts Students League.
He soon became an accomplished watercolorist, sculptor and ceramicist; and he had the rare opportunity to work with his mentor Frans Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, kindling a lifelong passion for creating carved brick walls.
"As a man, Bernie had great energy, wit and enthusiasm. His resourcefulness as an artist was amazing; in addition to about 15 walls and large public works of Carved brick and tile, many in Delaware, he was a great potter, watercolorist, collage maker and craftsman," said Beards.
"I first learned of Bernie as an artist from another artist who said his [Felch's] drawingsn a life class they both attended were to die for," he said.
Filch did not stop with the practice of his trade, he moved on to teaching it at institutions such as Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware.
Eventually, he became the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University, of Oxford, where he later retired from in 1998. Later he taught ceramics at the Center for Creative Arts In Yorklyn, Del.
Felch's work has been shown extensively including installations in museums, schools, universities, public spaces and private collections throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. His most recent work was shown at Bookplace beginning on November 7, 2008, with a special reception for the opening, serving drinks and snacks, and welcoming friends and family of Felch, as well as all art-lovers to celebrate the late artist's spirit and life work.
"Art came first his whole life, and, as Roz [his wife] said to me toward the end of the last show, 'I'll feel funny receiving payment for these paintings because Bernie never associated his work with money," said Beards.
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Pluralism – in art as well as in craft – typifies the work of the late Bernard Jackson Felch. Influenced by painters like Paul Cézanne and sculptors and potters like his mentor, Frans Wildenhain, Felch explored a diverse range of media that included oil, watercolor, wood and ceramic and left a widely varied body of work when he passed away at age 83 in 2008.
A selection of his oeuvre currently is on display in Delaware College of Art and Design’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery as “Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch.”
Felch, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., served in the United States Army during World War II and then completed a bachelor of arts degree at Williams College. He also studied at Academie de la Grande Chaumiere and Academie Julien in Paris, Instituto del’Arte in Florence and New York’s Art Students League. In addition, he worked under the Bauhaus-trained Wildenhain at the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester and earned a master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware.
Before becoming chair of the Fine Arts Department at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Felch taught at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass., Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., the Tatnall School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware and served as Newark High School’s 1972 Artist in Residence. After retiring from Lincoln University with 21 years of service in 1998, the longtime Landenberg, Pa., resident served as a ceramics instructor at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, taught at Wilmington’s Urban Environmental Center and gave numerous workshops in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Since 1958, Felch’s work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. Many of his pieces are included in private collections, and many are owned by corporations, educational institutions and museums. Two of his large-scale brick works, “In the Park” (1986-87) and “Dream Stele” (1988), are part of the permanent collection installed in the Delaware Art Museum’s sculpture garden.
All of the pieces in “Paintings, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” are for sale. A book about his life and work, “The Art of Bernard Jackson Felch,” also is available for purchase at the show. This volume was created by his daughter, Lindsey Felch; his widow, Rosamund du Pont; designer Jeff Smith; and photographer Terence Roberts. It includes essays by Delaware Art Museum curator Margaret Winslow, painters Gus Sermas and Ruth Miller and architect Benedict O’Looney.
“Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics by Bernie Felch” continues in DCAD’s Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery through Jan. 19. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public.
Posted on ArtWeek on 7 January 2019 - 11:15pm
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