Bernice Perry Sutton

Early Life and Education

1908
Bernice Perry was born on October 18, 1908, in Akron, New York, to Frank D. Perry (1883–1955) and Bertha H. Lentz (1884–1923). She was the second of five children, growing up in a close-knit family with one older brother and three younger sisters, including Virginia Perry Trudell, who would also become an artist.

1923
Bernice’s mother, Bertha, passed away when Bernice was just 15 years old, a loss that likely shaped her early life and artistic sensibilities.

1931
At age 22, Bernice moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to attend the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University), where she pursued formal studies in fine art. She remained in Pittsburgh for six years, building both her technical skills and artistic voice. During this time, she also became involved with the Pittsburgh Art Association.

Artistic Development and Career

1937
After completing her studies, Bernice returned to western New York, continuing to develop her work as a painter. She frequently visited the Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox) in Buffalo, where she attended lectures and connected with the regional art scene.

1940
On February 27, she attended a public lecture on Egyptian art by John W. Hagerty at the Albright Art Gallery, accompanied by her sister Virginia. These lectures were part of a larger weekly series that informed and inspired local artists. She also took part in classes with painter Charles Burchfield, a major figure in American watercolor painting.

Marriage, Family, and Professional Recognition

1941
On June 24, Bernice was nominated to the Patteran Society of Buffalo, an organization dedicated to progressive contemporary art, by members Philip Yost, Ruth Erb Hoffman, and Virginia Eller Tillou. That same day, her sister Virginia Perry Trudell was also admitted as a member.

Later that summer, Bernice married Louis F. Sutton.

1942
In the spring, Bernice gave birth to twins, Louis and Susan Sutton.

1944
On February 18, she exhibited an oil painting at her alma mater, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, in Pittsburgh.
In December, she and her husband welcomed a third child, Sylvia Sutton.

1944–1958
Bernice took on multiple leadership roles within the Patteran Society:

• Joined the Executive Committee in 1944.
• Served as a Board Member from 1955 to 1958.
• Chaired the Exhibition Committee during the same period, helping to curate and coordinate the Society’s programming.

Exhibition History and Artistic Recognition

1945
From March 7 to April 1, Bernice exhibited Wings, an oil painting, in the 11th Annual Western New York Exhibition at the Albright Art Gallery.
In November, her painting Girl With Flowers was featured in a Patteran Society group show held at the Albright Art Gallery. A review in the Buffalo Evening News praised it as a “romantic, Tennysonian” work.
She also exhibited Negress in a Patteran Society exhibition alongside her sister Virginia’s Still Life. A photo of the exhibition survives in the Patteran Archive.

1946
From October 13 to November 5, Bernice participated in the Third Biennial Patteran Exhibition held at the Riverside Museum in New York City. She exhibited three major oil paintings:

• Flower Study (33” x 38”)
• Portrait of a Young Girl (27” x 31”)
• Entreaty (38” x 31”)

1945–1977
Bernice exhibited almost annually in the Western New York Exhibitions at the Albright Art Gallery, under the auspices of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy.

Later Life and Legacy

1976
In recognition of her enduring contributions to the Buffalo art community, Bernice was appointed to the Burchfield Center Council, further aligning her with the artistic legacy of Charles Burchfield.

1977
Bernice Perry Sutton died on November 26, 1977, having remained an active artist and arts community member until the end of her life. Her work lives on through her family, archival materials, and institutional records, reflecting a life devoted to visual expression and community engagement.