Berthe Couch Koch

Berthe Couch Koch (1892-1975) -- Nebraska, Ohio, Minnesota

Dr. Berthe Couch Koch was born at Columbus, Ohio on October 1, 1892. Koch's elementary and secondary education was in the Columbus public schools. In 1910 she graduated from South High School. She was extremely interested in art and psychology.

Admitted to Ohio State University in 1917 and in 1921 received her A.B. Degree. She accepted a position in 1921 at Ohio State University after graduation as a member of the faculty in experimental psychology. Then from 1921-1923 she applied herself to a masters degree at Ohio State University. Under the direction of Dr. Albert P. Weiss, she served as a senior laboratory assistant.

Koch's education directed her to teaching at Ohio State University from 1923-1927. She continued on with her graduate work in Fine Arts and Psychology. Her master's thesis concerned the psychology of color vision. The thesis "Apparent Weight of Colors" was published at Ohio State University. This encompassed her scientific background and landscape painting study.

She studied art at Columbia University at Provincetown, MA under Charles Martin, head of the Fine Arts Department. Then continued her studies under Gifford Beal, at Rockport, MA. Mr. Beal was one of the Presidents of the Art Students League of New York City and an accomplished figure and landscape painter.

Koch enrolled to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Arts under Professor James R. Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins was the Chairman of the Fine Arts Department. Her doctoral course at Ohio State University was the first degree of this type ever to be conferred in the USA or abroad. The exceptional part of her doctoral thesis was the creation of landscape artwork based upon research. The thesis was titled: The Creation of a Series of Landscape Paintings Original in Conception and Execution, Dissertation presented in Partial Fulfillment for the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Ohio State University 1929. This study was completed under a University Fellowship.

Her thesis consisted of 38 original expressive landscape paintings: Straits Mouth Gap, A Village Street, Willows by the Sea, The Town Beach, Provincetown, The Barren Elm, Autumn Gold, The Old Church-Rockport, Along the Atlantic, Thatcher's Twin Lights, Winter Patter, The Churchyard, Old New England Street, Calla Lilies, Rubrum Lilies, The Atlantic, Rockport Harbor, Bearskin Neck, Roof Tops, An Old Elm, Zinnias, Candle-tree Inn, From the Harbor, New England Antiques, The Old House, Spring, The Mill Pond, Apple Trees, The Doorway, Spring Freshet, Cosmos, The Turn in the Road, Street Scene-Cape Cod, Gables, On the House Tops, The Shack, The Webster House, and The Fish Docks.

The dissertation paintings were completed during four years of landscape study and research. The gallery and museum collections studied and researched totaled 29 and are listed in the dissertation. Her research travels varied from the commercial galleries of the Wildenstein to the academic halls of Harvard's Fogg Museum of Fine Arts. This pioneering project for Graduate School departed from the doctorate procedures. The Graduate Council, President George W. Rightmire and Dr. E. McPherson supported her throughout the project.

Koch continued to work in progressive education methodology in teaching the fine arts. She also continued to publish articles about the psychology of color vision. She exhibited throughout the country and Leon Kroll, a New York City contemporary artist, critiqued her paintings.

The artist moved to Omaha, Nebraska with her husband Robert Koch in 1932. The Omaha World Herald announced in 1933 the Municipal University of Omaha would open a new school for the fine arts. Dr. Koch headed the fine arts school, which incorporated painting, sculpture and architecture. This meant the university-conferred degrees, graduating students with a bachelor of Fine Art for the first time in its history. Dr. Koch was quoted "Outstanding painters know their physics and chemistry, as well as their techniques and are exceptionally well informed." The Municipal University of Omaha established 1930 by citizen vote, whose name changed to the University of Omaha approximately 1938, and in 1968 the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

In 1936 at the Municipal University, Dr. Koch's fine art department occupied Joslyn Hall's third story. Her office was filled with antiques and treasures from international travels. Her painting classes worked plein air. In 1935 she introduced sculpturing as an art class.

Dr. Koch started an Art Lecture series in 1937 at the request of many Omaha women. The lectures were held at the university and consisted of one-hour lecture and one-hour of gallery tours with discussion. She enriched the cultural environment of the community.

Koch dedicated summers to her art in her Cape Ann studio at Rockport, MA. She collaborated with D'Ascenzo, Gifford Beal, Eric Hudson, Harrison Cady, Leon Kroll and William McNulty during the summers. Dr. Koch and her husband were artists and the local newspapers document their many art travels, art insights and hundreds of color slides taken during their international travels.

Koch started working in ceramics under the influence of Robert Koch; her husband was an accomplished sculptor. He established the department of sculpture and developed the curriculum at the University of Omaha. He did extensive research with Nebraska clay and utilized it in his creations. She exhibited her ceramic work at the International Exhibition of Ceramics, at the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts and Los Angeles, and Passedoit Gallery, New York City, NY in 1941.

As the chairman of the art department for the University of Omaha, she was asked in 1943 to assist with the recently established American Art Research council. The councils mission was to create a national catalogue of all outstanding original works of art held in the United States. Dr. Koch headed the survey for Omaha and the surrounding vicinity.

Koch retired in June 1958 after serving as head of the art department for the University of Omaha with 25 years of service. She developed curriculum for a bachelor of fine arts degree. She organized and built the fine art department's modern art laboratory. The fall of 1958 she was teaching at Mankato, Minnesota at Mankato State Teachers College. Here she developed the graduate art program.

Throughout her life Koch continued to publish many articles about science and the visual arts. The publications were Parnassus, College Art Journal, Ceramic Age, Ceramics Industry, and Design.

The artist's works are owned by International Business Machines (IBM) Collection; Passedoit Gallery, NY; Ohio State University; University of Nebraska at Omaha; Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts and private collections in Nebraska.

She received numerous awards: Fellow, Ohio State University 1925-1929; Honorable Mention International Exhibition of Ceramics, Syracuse, NY 1941; Pi Lambda Theta and Sigma Xi.

Koch worked in: oil, watercolor, egg tempera, lithography, ceramics and dry point.

Dr. Koch's academic fine art contributions to the Omaha community and University at Omaha were paramount. These contributions encompassed her life, passion for art, the creative process and higher education in fine art. She created a rich fine art culture for the city, its citizens and the students she educated.