Coppersmith’s representations of Self evolve through the process of her medium and stylistic transformation, utilising the traditions of Australian and European modernism as a vehicle to image her own subjectivity as well as the people she paints. Depicting predominantly women in her portraits, the artist explores the contemporary female gaze and the body, while similarly illuminating potent social, cultural, and environmental issues. In contrast, her abstract works reclaim signature elements from key practices within 20th century Australian modernism, engaging with emotive rhythmic compositions and ‘colour orchestrations’ that evoke the spiritual strands of transcendental painting.

In 2018, Coppersmith was awarded the Archibald Prize for her painting Self Portrait, after George Lambert. This was the fifth year being included as a finalist, and she was the 10th woman to win the Prize. As a Melbourne-based artist, Coppersmith graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001. She won the inaugural Metro Prize in 2003 and has previously been selected as a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize (National Portrait Gallery, Canberra), Arthur Guy Memorial Award (Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria), Geelong Contemporary Art Prize (Geelong Gallery, Victoria), the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize (Moran Arts Foundation, Sydney), and the Portia Geach Memorial Award (S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney). Coppersmith has exhibited her work in artist-run-initiatives, commercial galleries, and public spaces in Melbourne, across Australia and internationally. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections. The making of her 2017 Archibald portrait of Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs features in Foxtel Arts’ documentary film 'The Archibald' by Mint Pictures.