Old City in Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Richard Clarke

(Noblesville, Indiana 1923-1997 Knoxville)

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

1. Richard Clarke Marker

Inscription.

Richard Clarke. (Noblesville, Indiana 1923-1997 Knoxville). "Agglomerate," 1967, Watercolor on paper, 18x24 inches, Knoxville Museum of Art, gift of Janice Clarke. Born in Indiana, Richard Clarke earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin before serving as a gunner on a U.S. bomber in World War II. After moving to Knoxville he worked as a commercial artist and, recruited by C. Kermit "Back" Ewing, joined the University of Tennessee's art department teaching evening art classes., In 1957, Clark arranged UT's first exhibition of advertising art, at the old Audigier Gallery in Hoskins Library, and later co-founded the Knoxville Watercolor Society. Although best known in the Knoxville area, Clarke exhibited in other states and even other countries, winning awards for his drawings and watercolors. He was also the first at UT to start a program in computer graphics and animation., Clarke is best remembered for his role as a member of the Knoxville Seven - a progressive group of artists who held a groundbreaking exhibition at Knoxville's McClung Museum during the Dogwood Arts Festival in 1963., Clarke often worked closely with other artists and found inspiration for his watercolor abstractions in the natural world. Among his favorite painting locations were local quarries and the Great Smoky Mountains. Clarks spoke about the abstract nature of his work during a solo watercolor show at the McClung Museum in 1966., "While my painting may look to some people as if it contains little or nothing recognizable, that is really not true. Many of the paintings in this show are derived from landscape ideas. The titles are not meant to confuse the viewer. Rather they point to my main idea, so far as subject matter is concerned.", Clarke continued to teach and exhibit in Knoxville into the 1980s, participating in a show in the Old City in 1983. Today, Clarke is remembered warmly by his former students and peers as a serious and devoted teacher., This painting is featured in the Knoxville Museum of Art's permanent exhibition, Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee., Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and culture of Knoxville. , Discover other Art Wraps and learn more at knoxvillehistoryproject.org.

"Agglomerate," 1967

Watercolor on paper, 18x24 inches

Knoxville Museum of Art, gift of Janice Clarke
Born in Indiana, Richard Clarke earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin before serving as a gunner on a U.S. bomber in World War II. After moving to Knoxville he worked as a commercial artist and, recruited by C. Kermit "Back" Ewing, joined the University of Tennessee's art department teaching evening art classes.

In 1957, Clark arranged UT's first exhibition of advertising art, at the old Audigier Gallery in Hoskins Library, and later co-founded the Knoxville Watercolor Society. Although best known in the Knoxville area, Clarke exhibited in other states and even other countries, winning awards for his drawings and watercolors. He was also the first at UT to start a program in computer graphics and animation.

Clarke is best remembered for his role as a member of the Knoxville Seven - a progressive group of artists who held a groundbreaking exhibition at Knoxville's McClung Museum during the Dogwood Arts Festival in 1963.

Clarke often worked closely with other artists and found inspiration for his watercolor abstractions in the natural world. Among his favorite painting locations were local quarries and the Great Smoky Mountains. Clarks spoke about

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the abstract nature of his work during a solo watercolor show at the McClung Museum in 1966.

"While my painting may look to some people as if it contains little or nothing recognizable, that is really not true. Many of the paintings in this show are derived from landscape ideas. The titles are not meant to confuse the viewer. Rather they point to my main idea, so far as subject matter is concerned."

Clarke continued to teach and exhibit in Knoxville into the 1980s, participating in a show in the Old City in 1983. Today, Clarke is remembered warmly by his former students and peers as a serious and devoted teacher.

This painting is featured in the Knoxville Museum of Art's permanent exhibition,
Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee.

Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History
Project, an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and
promote the history and culture of Knoxville.

Discover other Art Wraps and learn more at
knoxvillehistoryproject.org

Erected by Knoxville History Project.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Knoxville History Project - Downtown Art Wraps

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

2. Richard Clarke Marker

series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.

Location. 35° 58.13′ N, 83° 55.082′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. It is in Old City. Marker is at the intersection of West Summit Hill Drive and South Central Avenue, on the left when traveling east on West Summit Hill Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Vinnies Italian Restaurant (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); C. Kermit “Buck” Ewing (about 400 feet away); Cal Fackler Johnson (about 500 feet away); Uncle Dave Macon (about 600 feet away); Archie Campbell / Chet Atkins (about 600 feet away); Patrick Sullivan's Saloon (about 700 feet away); The Midday Merry-Go-Round (about 700 feet away); Robert Birdwell (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

3. Richard Clarke Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 30, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.