Rhoda Campbell Chase

• Name — Rhoda Campbell Chase • Born — 20 March 1881 • Birthplace — New Bedford, Massachusetts • Died — 1959 08 011 • Place of death — Kingston Hospital, Kingston, New York

Rhoda Chase was born on March 20, 1881 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Her parents were Emma Eames Chase, a dentist, writer, and artist, and Harry Chase, a marine painter. She had a brother named Irwin Chase, who went on to become a designer and builder of PT boats. Chase's family came from a long line of artists, dentists, and medical doctors, with her father's side of the family having medical doctors and dentists going back four generations. Her uncle, Frederick B. Chase, was a specialist in prosthetic dentistry. And her paternal grandfather, Henry Seymour Chase, both an M.D. and a D.D.S., was as Chair of Operative Surgery an instructor the Missouri State Dental School in St. Louis. Her mother was the first female member of the American Dental Association. Her cousin, Lyna Chase, also became an artist. In 1899, Chase graduated from the Mary Institute in St. Louis. She attended the Monticello Seminary for three years. She later studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts. She was a member of the St. Louis Artists' Guild. In 1905, she won 4th place in a St. Louis Post Dispatch and Artists' Guild juried competition, for her piece "Christmas Morn".

Around 1906, Chase was part of arts and crafts movement in St. Louis. She worked with decorative leather. From 1906 to 1907, Chase lived abroad in Paris with her mother, where she studied art. During her time off from school in Paris, she painted in Holland. In 1907, Chase returned to the United States, moving to New York City with her mother "for the benefit of [her mother's] health", along with a plan to open a studio in the city so that she could continue creating her art. Around 1914, Chase moved to Woodstock, New York, where she continued to live for 45 years. She worked as an illustrator, including illustrating a children's book-record hybrid called the Bubble Book, a collection of traditional children's songs and accompanying music sung by Henry Burr. It sold 9000 copies in the first month it was released. Chase died August 1, 1959, in Kingston Hospital in Kingston, New York.

• Illustration — Fourth Place prize-winning artwork Christmas Morn (1905) alt=Christmas Morn, from St. Louis Post-Dispatch Christmas Competition • Illustration — Illustration from The Merrill Readers: Fourth Reader (1915) alt=Black and white illustration of the people icce skating, two of which are young • Illustration — Page layout from The Merrill Readers: Fourth Reader (1915) alt=A poem is surrounding by black and white illustrations of birds. • Illustration — Illustration from The Child's World: First Reader (1917) alt=Colorful group of children dancing in a circle around a girl • Illustration — Illustration from The Child's World: First Reader (1917) alt=A mother holds her young child under the stars • Illustration — Illustration from The Child's World: First Reader (1917) alt=Two children ride a horse towards a foggy castle in the background