A Fleeting Season: Indian Summer in History and Art

First Use of “Indian Summer”

In 1778 in his collection of essays called Letters from an American Farmer, French immigrant St. John de Crèvecoeur used the term “Indian summer” to describe the summer-like weather the colonies experienced in mid-November after the first frost. He writes, “Then a second spring begins; this is what we call the Indian summer, which happens commonly about the middle of November. It is a short season of mild and serene weather…” Most historians agree that Crèvecoeur likely didn’t coin this term, but instead suggest it was already in use among the colonists. Crèvecoeur used the vernacular of the time to describe not just the weather, but also to convey the rhythms of the New World to Europeans while promoting an early vision of the American Dream. While scholars debate the exact origins of the term, “Indian summer” has come to symbolize a fleeting but vivid moment in time—an idea that echoes delightfully in artist Kathy Wipfler’s oil-on-board painting of the same name that hangs in the Draper Museum of Natural History. More on that in a moment.

Theories of Origin

Many theories exist about the origins of the term “Indian summer.” The hunting theory posits that warm autumn days were prime hunting season for Native tribes. These unusually warm days made for favorable hunting, so early settlers may have associated these warm, sunny days with Indian hunting season. Another theory suggests that in the 18th century colonists sometimes used the term “Indian” to describe things viewed as unfamiliar or as alternatives to European traditions—substitutes for the goods and/or practices familiar to them. For instance, colonists brewed “Indian tea” from sassafras or raspberry leaves rather than from imported tea leaves from China. These substitutes offered distinct flavors that contrasted with European fare, though not in an inferior way. Today the phrase carries no derogatory weight, with most folks using it to describe unseasonable but delightful periods of weather during late fall. In Kathy Wipfler’s “Indian Summer” we find the concept of that brief yet lustrous recess of cooler weather, where she captures both the peacefulness and transience of autumn in Wyoming’s Hoback Canyon.

Hoback Canyon

Hoback Canyon lies just south of Jackson, Wyoming in the picturesque and wild Bridger-Teton National Forest. In Wipfler’s notes shared with the Whitney Western Art Museum she explains her plein air process which includes hauling supplies down steep banks to paint in real-time: “”Late in the summer, with the water low, the washed rock makes a nice contrast to the dark water. I made two trips from the road down the steep bank to the water. One trip with my painting gear, and the other with the 24″ x 30″ panel. This particular bend in the river is a favorite painting haunt for me. Not so easy to get to, but worth the effort!” Her dedication pays off in the golden leaves and azure sky which create total sensory immersion: viewers can almost hear the rustling leaves and the dribbling stream. The painting conveys an intimacy with the landscape because viewers can sense the seasonal transition. This kind of authenticity doesn’t happen accidentally, but rather results from a life rooted in the culture of the American West and plein air training.

A Life in Wyoming

Wipfler moved to Jackson from Idaho Falls in 1979 to pursue life as a full-time artist, aiming to hone her craft as a plein air painter. In addition to life as an artist, Wipfler works on a local ranch as caretaker/wrangler, completely immersed in Western culture. This role enables her to experience the cowboy life, which informs much of her work. Renowned local painters (now deceased) John Clymer, Conrad Schwiering, and Greg McHuron—famous in their own right—helped Wipfler early in her artistic journey and have also influenced her style. Wipfler’s paintings hang in major museums across America including the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Booth Museum, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and the Brinton Museum.

A Fleeting Season

On balance, Wipfler’s life, influences, and plein-air philosophy infuse “Indian Summer” with a richness that feels both personal and universal. She not only chronicles beautiful Western landscapes, but sustains the spirit of the American West. “Indian Summer” records a mountain scene that feels timeless, but also in transition. It’s not just a painting, but a fleeting season, a meditation captured vividly in a plein air setting.