Bruce Was The Idol Talent For His Sisters

Late 1930's And Early 40's Artwork

 

This illustration was one of many portraits of the same unknown model by Bruce Fleming Jepsen. I'm grateful for this generous donation from the Jepsen-Buckinghams. My mother, as a young babysitter for the Buckingham children, recalled seeing this hanging in the Buckingham house in the Dundee neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

Chris was older than Grace and Harryette by about 10 years. She was Bruce's generation, just two years younger than him. She always said that she was not the caliber of artist that her brother was. Each of his sisters though, were talented. They were extremely disciplined and practiced every day. Grace and Harryette wrote letters to their elder siblings, enclosing they're artistic efforts for professional critiques. In the wwII letters between 1942-1945 Harryette at the young age of about 11, was drawing pictures of all kinds of animals. She especially loved horses and eventually became an expert in the area of horse drawing.

Grace was becoming a young lady at the age of 13 and was interested in being an artist professionally, like her older sister and brother. She worked hard to get to where she might have a chance at some kind of career in art. Her first love being fashion, it made sense that she would become a fashion illustrator like her sister Chris who had quickly established herself as one of the best fashion illustrators in Omaha. After graduating at St. Petersburg high school in 1947, the logical thing to Edwina and all was for Grace to leave Florida and join Chris in Omaha. Grace, being young and new to the illustration advertising world, had to work at it. Chris was her teacher. Bruce, though no longer with them, was still her high ideal. A career at Mutual of Omaha doing mail work and whatever office girl tasks were needed, Grace would be asked to do artwork for various flyers. She was on her way to a career in advertising art at Mutual, but in the early 1950's women were asked to leave their jobs as soon as they became pregnant. It would take years, and four children later, but Grace would have herself a career in advertising art. After balancing freelance art jobs and raising four kids finally, in the late 70's with the children leaving home, she began working full-time for the local department store, Richman Gordman.  It was more than a decade of success but somewhat short lived. Fashion illustration came to an end in the early 1980's when photography took over. While fashion was her first love, Grace had worked hard at portraiture on the side. Again with disciplined practice, art group participation and lots of love and appreciation for fashion and beauty, Grace became accomplished in pastel portraiture.

The three sisters, having unique skill and talent, wishing they were as talented as their brother, Bruce each had successful art careers. Bruce's work was a measure for all of them. There is no doubt that he would have contributed to the world of art in a profound way, given the chance.

 

Early Artwork By Grace Ann Jepsen Cupak

 

Fashion Illustration by Grace Jepsen Cupak circa late 1940's early 50's

Grace and Harryette wrote letters to Chris and to Bruce, enclosing they're artistic efforts for professional critiques. In the ww2 letters between 1942-1945 Harryette at the young age of about 11, was drawing pictures of all kinds of animals. She especially loved horses and eventually became an expert in the area of horse drawing.

Early Work By Harryette Jepsen Bondesson

Three Horses by Harryette Jepsen Bondesson, expert horse illustrator. I love her signature!

I'm still scanning Chris's artworks that I have in my archive and will share in another post. If you are family or friend and have anything of Chris's you'd like to share with me, please let me know. 

© Julie Ann Cambridge, Inkwashletters, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Julie Ann Cambridge and Inkwashletters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.