Clare Smith
Clare Smith (January 4th, 1908 - July 16th, 1998), was a prominent artist in Galesburg, IL. After studying with famous printmakers in France at Atelier 17 to help develop Viscosity printing, a new technique in printmaking, she created works of her own that have been on display in many Midwest Colleges. These public collections: which are they, and what evidence can you present for each? If you cannot provide this information, please delete the vague claim to presence in unspecified collections. Hoary (talk) 02:00, 1 August 2022 (UTC)}}
| Clare Smith | |
|---|---|
 ClareS Smith001.tif | |
| Born | January 4th 1908 |
| July 16th 1998July 16th 1998 | |
| 🏫 Education | Art, Knox College, 1973 |
| 💼 Occupation | |
Clare Smith (January 4th, 1908 - July 16th, 1998), was a prominent artist in Galesburg, IL. After studying with famous printmakers in France at Atelier 17 to develop Viscosity printing, a new technique in printmaking, she created works of her own that have been on display in many Midwest Colleges. Her work is in public and private collections around the world, including England, Sweden, Wales, France, and Saudi Arabia. [1] [clarification needed]
Early Life
Clare Smith was born on January 4th, 1908 in Ohio. In 1924, she went to school at Ohio University for Physical Education, but left in 1926.[2] In 1930, she married Roy W. Smith, and had 3 children.[3]
Education
In 1943, Smith moved to Galesburg, Illinois, and didn’t start her career as an artist until the late 1950s, where she would experiment with watercolor with her grandchildren. In 1971, after her husband passed, her daughter in law suggested she take some art classes at Knox College, Smith decided to pursue a degree in Art as a nontraditional student. While at Knox, she studied printmaking and French, and graduated in 1973 with a B.A in Art.[2]In 1974, Smith went to France to study printmaking with Dadi Wirz in Garrigue, and S. W. Hayter in the famous art studio Atelier 17, while also pursuing an education at Besancon.[4] She also studied in the graduate program for printmaking at the University of Iowa.[2] In 1977, funds were donated in her husband’s memory to buy a new printing press for Knox College.[5]She returned to France to study at Atelier 17 a few years later in 1978 and 1988. She also returned to France in 1990.[6]
Art
Smith’s art was heavily inspired by Native American culture and works, which reflects in subject matter and colors, as she loved colors often associated with the American Southwest.[2]She had gained an interest in feathers after working in Paris at Atelier 17. Smith and her fellow workers in Atelier 17 in would smooth out any bubbles in the prints they were printing with feathers, and so Smith would collect pigeon feathers she found on the side of the street and use these in her printmaking, though her mentors were against using this technique. Smith would tie feathers up in bouquets and create prints with them. This helped her interest in Native American culture.[7]When asked about the images in her prints, she said, “I get my images partly out of the poetry that I write and out of things that I have thought or felt about subjects covered in ‘new physics’. That’s the subject in which spiritual experiences are tied to your knowledge of the world.”[2] Smith saw her work as the spiritual part of her life, gaining knowledge of the world and herself through her art. When asked about how she would describe her works, she described her work as “sometimes abstract, sometimes not,” claiming that printing isn’t any more expressive than other art forms.[6] “And there’s a freedom you have when you’re older. You don’t have to make a big thing of your work. You don’t have to prove yourself.”[2]
While at Atelier 17, she helped Hayter develop Viscosity printing, a technique that involved using the different densities of liquids separating on top of each other, allowing for multiple colors to lay on the same plate. [8][better source needed]
Career
After completing her education, Smith created an art studio in her son’s basement in 1976, and with fellow artist, Yolanda Ortega, created many works of print. In 1982, her work was shown at Knox College during homecoming, as a tradition to show off alumni art that has achieved recognition and professional status.[9][10] In 1986, Smith was a founding member of Studios Midwest, a non-profit organization for artists around the world to gather in Galesburg, IL, where she served on the board of directors. Her art has been exhibited in many colleges, such as Monmouth College in 1981, Western Illinois University in 1984, Black Hawk College in 1990, and Oberlin College in 1992. Her work has been juried in Salon d’Automne in 1978, the Illinois State Fair Professional Art Exhibition in Springfield, IL, and at Galex 20 at the Galesburg Civic Art Center, where she received 1st award in prints. Her work has been published in The Farmer’s Market in Galesburg IL, 1969 November Issue, Catch, Knox College’s own literary magazine, 1970 March Issue, and in American Artist December Issue 1987.[1]
Her work has been shown in many galleries, such as the Muggleton Art Gallery in Auburn, New York, in 1976.[1] In 1986 her work was shown in the Quad-City Arts Council, Rock Island. In 1988 her work was shown in the Bettendorf Public Library. In 1999, her work was shown in the Galesburg Civic Art Center, sponsored by Dick Blick Co. Prices. [11]
A month before Smith died, she went to her basement, threw out all of her inks, and claimed she was no longer going to create prints.[12]
Reception
Smith’s works have received many positive reviews for her work with color and Native American inspired art. Mark Stegmaler, an art critic in Quad Cities, IL, described her work as "an odyssey of light and color which derives meaning from the viewer’s emotions about Indian culture."[13] Julie Jensen, a staff arts writer, writes how Smith has a wonderful sense of color, and is a lyrical tribute to the legends of "the American Indian."[14] Her work has been described by Dr. Joseph Ansell as "Very high quality work... by a very interesting 80 year-old woman."[15] Her work has been featured in American Artist, where a biography was written on her and her work.[16]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “Clare S. Smith.” General - Biographical Clare Smith Collection, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg IL.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Saunders, Janet. “Viscosity printing.” The Register Mail Galesburg, October 8, 1994.
- ↑ Clare Smith Manuscript Collections.” Smith, Clare - Class of 1973 Student Series. Clare Smith, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg, IL.
- ↑ “Clare Smith Art Collection.” Knox College Website. July 20th, 2022. https://www.knox.edu/library/special-collections-and-archives/art-collections/clare-smith.
- ↑ Doherty, Stephen M. “An Impressive Addition.” Knox Now, Spring 1977.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Saunders, Janet. “Prints from Paris on display here.” The Register Mail Galesburg, January 16, 1995.
- ↑ “Clare Snider Smith Interview with Yolanda Ortega, 21 October 1998.” Clare Smith, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg IL.
- ↑ Gilbert, Gregory. “Clare Smith and the Influence of Atelier 17 on Printmaking in Illinois”. 2017 Midwest Women’s Artist Symposium. Bradley University. 2017.
- ↑ Knox College Homecoming event letter 1982.” Clare Smith, Smith, Clare - Class of 1973 Student Series, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg IL.
- ↑ “Clare S. Smith.” General - Biographical Clare Smith Collection, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg IL.
- ↑ "Come Fly, Clare Smith's work on display at Galesburg Civic Art Center". The Register-Mail. September 12, 1999. p. 1.
- ↑ “Clare Snider Smith Interview with Yolanda Ortega, 21 October 1998.” Clare Smith, Smith, Clare - Class of 1973 Student Series, MSS 261, Knox College Special Collections, Seymour Library, Knox College, Galesburg IL.
- ↑ Stegmaler, Mark (March 23, 1986). "Indian works - a successful match". Quad-City Times. p. 1.
- ↑ Jensen, Julie (1988). "Bettendorf show honors American Indian legends".
- ↑ Jarvis, Ruthanne (October 22, 1992). "Renowned artist displays etchings". American Artist. pp. 68–72.
- ↑ Asaro, Mary Lou (December 1988). "Clare Smith". American Artist. pp. 68–72.
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