MARION K. COFFEY (1924 - 2011)
Drawing inside the lines of a coloring book was not an option for Marion Coffey’s young children. She encouraged them to color outside the lines and not be confined by preconceived boundaries. According to her daughter, Coffey lived her life this way each day. Wisconsin’s beloved artist, Marion Coffey, passed away in 2011 at the age of 87. Throughout her long career, Coffey celebrated the beauty in everything she painted. She found joy in capturing the flowers in her garden, the interiors of her daughter’s home and the gorgeous vistas from her travels. It took many years of keen observation and experimenting to arrive at the bold, expressive style that characterizes her painting. Her style was her own - daring in color and young in spirit. Born in Milwaukee, Coffey studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Fontainebleau School of Art in France. Early in her career she worked as a commercial illustrator. Influenced by the 19th and 20th century French artists, Vlaminck, Matisse and the Fauves, Coffey became less interested in realistic depictions and began painting with vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes. Over the last two decades she developed a composition of large interlocking shapes reminiscent of one her favorite painters, Gabriele Münter, the 20th century German artist. Tiny drawings filled her sketch book and were the foundation of her art. Coffey painted in all sizes but favored large scale. She sketched constantly during her travels bringing back many ideas for future work. Coffey enjoyed working on handmade paper, which added depth and texture to the painting surface. A prolific artist, she produced hundreds of paintings and prints. In her last ten years, Coffey’s art focused on her travels to the British Isles, South of France, Spain, Tuscany, Kenya and Tanzania and her home town, Milwaukee. Her fans were many, and the gallery shows sold out quickly. Marion Coffey’s paintings take us on a colorful journey capturing the essence of her subject, whether it is a vase of flowers, the brilliant patterns of African warrior robes, or the Milwaukee skyline. Working until the day she died, Coffey’s art embodies a spirit that remains forever young.
Collections
Marion Coffey’s paintings are in public and private collections across the country including the archives of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, Quarles & Brady, Milwaukee, Foley Lardner, Milwaukee, the Medical College of Wisconsin, West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. in Wisconsin, the US Czech Embassy (2007-2009), and the White House in our nation's capital.
Education
American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Fontainebleau’s School of Fine Art, Fontainebleau, France
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Scholarships
Mizen Academy of Art, Chicago, IL
Federal Art School, Minneapolis, MN
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 A Life in Color, MOWA: Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
2010 HOME, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2008 Kenya and Tanzania Safari, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2005 Travels in the British Isles, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2003 Colorful Journeys, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI (Catalog)
2000 Views of Tuscany and Umbria, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1999 Dane County, WI Cultural Affairs Calendar Artist
1998 Floral and Landscape Paintings, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1996 New Paintings, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1995 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Rose Festival Artist
1990 David Barnett Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1987 David Barnett Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1981 Marine National Exchange Bank Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
Selected Museum Exhibitions
2022 Marion Coffey The Art of Color, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
1995 Watercolor Wisconsin, Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine, WI
1990 Perceptions, Cudahy Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
1987 Wisconsin Metaphor, Cudahy Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
1986 Contemporary Wisconsin, Cudahy Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
1987 Wisconsin Trends, Cudahy Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
1981 Best of Show Award League of Milwaukee Artists Exhibition, Charles Allis Museum, Milwaukee, WI
1980 Ozaukee Art Center, Cedarburg, WI
1979 Merit Award League of Milwaukee Artists Exhibition, Charles Allis Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Selected Group Exhibitions
2020 The Landscape Exhibition
2019 Nature Morte Exhibition
2018 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2017 The Salon Show, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2015 The Salon Show, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2014 Summer in Wisconsin¸ Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2013 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2011 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2008 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2005 artpalmbeach, International Art Expo, Palm Bech, FL
2004 artpalmbeach, International Art Expo, Palm Beach, FL
2003 artpalmbeach, International Art Expo, Palm Beach, FL
2002 Small Celebrations, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2001 Small Celebrations, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1994 Small Celebrations, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
1989 Milwaukee Art Museum Exhibition, First Bank, Milwaukee, WI
1986 Floral ‘86, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL
1985 Wisconsin Women in the Arts, Union Art Gallery, University of WI-Milwaukee
1981 David Barnett Gallery, Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors Exhibition, Milwaukee, WI
