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November 30, 2023


An obituary for the esteemed photographer Elliot Erwitt appeared in today's issue of the New York Times. Erwitt was an acquaintance of my father's dating back to the mid 1940s and John's days at the Arts & Crafts Club of New Orleans. According to a letter from Erwitt in my father's files, John had apparently given the teenaged artist an exhibition at the Club (details of which remain unknown) at some point around this time. Erwitt photographed my father and sent the images with the letter, expressing his hope for a subsequent exhibition, which may or may not have taken place. Scroll down to my post of July 22, 2015, to see Erwitt's excellent portrait of John. Erwitt was 95 at the time of his passing yesterday—born on July 26, 1928, he was almost exactly seven years younger than John.


I am also writing today to post a couple of images from a brochure that was published in 1972 by Louisiana State University, Alexandria, to accompany an exhibition of John's work. It's a very nice little brochure and it is of particular note because the exhibition came towards the tail end of my father's Topographia series of paintings. The concept for the series began to take form in 1964 with a small painting that contained the first documented appearance of the circle-within-a-square format that came to be the primary compositional feature of the group. The majority of the paintings were executed between 1969 and 1970, and the final one was completed in 1973. All told, the series encompasses nine major paintings along with a number of preparatory drawings, small oil sketches, and other works of the period that clearly relate but which do not have 'Topographia' in their recorded titles.


The 1972 Alexandria brochure is also significant for it included what—so far as I am aware—is the only formal statement that my father ever composed regarding his work. Reproduced below you will find one of the paintings from the series along with an introductory statement by John B. Richard, LSU A Librarian, and John's artist statement. This 1972 exhibition presented seven of the nine Topographia paintings—the closest thing yet to an exhibition of the entire series (John's 2021 retrospective at the Historic New Orleans Collection included four of the paintings, and his 1999 New Orleans Museum of Art retrospective included six).


Three of the Topographia paintings remain with the family, but over the years the other six have been dispersed to various institutions and private collections. It is my sincere hope to one day bring all nine of the paintings together in an exhibition so that the group can be, for the first time, appreciated in its entirety. John considered it to be one of his most important accomplishments as an artist and I concur wholeheartedly.



Topographia I-Cosmas I, 1969-'70, acrylic polymer and oil on canvas, 48 x 48 inches





July 25, 2023


John's 102nd birthday was observed on the 22nd of this month, a date which also marks two years since the opening of his magnificent retrospective at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The HNOC exhibition was five years-plus in the making so its actual run seemed incredibly brief, especially with the limitations placed upon it by the pandemic and the unfortunate arrival of Hurricane Ida in late August, 2021. The exhibition is history, but the catalogue lives on and is still available from a variety of sources, including, of course, the HNOC Gift Shop/Bookstore. If you don't already have a copy, then by all means do acquire one for yourself—they won't be around forever.


Below, I have posted a photo of John's 20 x 22-inch 1966 polymer on Masonite painting, Compass Rose. I brought this beautiful little painting back to Santa Fe with me to have it reframed by David Horowitz and the fine and talented folks at Goldleaf Framemakers. Frames are important. A good frame won't save a bad painting, but a bad (or inappropriate) frame can definitely hinder a good one. John understood this and he was a dedicated minimalist when it came to his framing. He generally framed all of his works on canvas and panel himself using the 'baguette' strip molding that remains on many of them to this day. In his early starving artist days he had worked in the frame shop at the Gresham Gallery on Royal Street—a business which occupied a space in the historic Brulator building that was previously home to the Arts & Crafts Club of New Orleans (1922-1933), later to WDSU television (1949-1988), and, as of 2019, to the Historic New Orleans Collection. John learned the basics of framing working for Charlie Gresham and he put his experience to good use for the rest of his life.


Compass Rose originally had a linen liner that wasn't doing it any favors, so on my last driving trip to and from New Orleans it made the long ride back across Texas. When framing, or reframing, John's artwork I have adhered to his original minimalist aesthetic. For works on canvas and panel I have gone with what is basically an enhanced version of his simple baguette molding—floated, with a gold leaf finish on the narrow front-facing strip. The type of leaf—either 22 carat ('gold' gold) or 12 carat ('white' gold)—is guided by the predominant hues of the painting. The width of the strip is determined by the size of the painting and the type of wood (cherry, maple or walnut) is guided, again, by the dominant hues. Like his late dad, Marty, David Horowitz has impeccable instincts and it goes without saying that the shop's craftsmanship is of the absolute highest order. Compass Rose now resides in a maple frame with 12 carat leaf on a slim 3/8 inch profile.


It's rather remarkable how much of an effect a well-considered frame can have on a piece of artwork. A good frame shouldn't draw too much attention to itself—like the police department, its job should be to both protect and serve. A good frame can help a viewer to see a piece of artwork to its best advantage, complimenting and enhancing the artist's intention but never distracting or detracting from it. Some artists (my dad's friend Mark Rothko having been one of them) don't use frames at all, and that can work too: A Rothko canvas in a frame would just seem... weird. The baguette-style shadow box molding is a perfect choice for my dad's paintings—a subtle profile for an artist for whom subtlety was practically a religion. 


Happy birthday, John! I trust that you would approve of your beautiful painting's lovely new frame.




March 7, 2023


I am very pleased to report that the John F. Clemmer Fund, established at Tulane University in 2005 by alumni Rick Barnett (BArch, 1968) and his wife Martha Barnett (BA, 1969), has been amended to endow a graduate fellowship in the School of Architecture. The fellowship will be awarded annually, or as often as applicable, to a graduate student focusing on both art and architecture. The recipients of the the fellowship will be known as John F. Clemmer Scholars.


This is a wonderful honor and I know that my father would be extremely proud that the fund established in his name will be contributing to the academic advancement of students following in his footsteps. It's no secret that John achieved everything that he did in his long life without the imprimatur of a college degree. His sole academic bona fide was a high school diploma from Alcee Fortier High School, yet he ended his career at Tulane as a full professor and as the head of the Department of Art at Newcomb College. To say that this was a remarkable achievement for a poor country boy from outside of Donaldsonville, LA, is an understatement, to say the least. That he was able to do this while simultaneously pursuing his career as an artist, producing important and beautiful artwork spanning eight decades, is nothing less than astonishing.


In 2021, the John F. Clemmer Fund also supported the publication of the accompanying catalogue for my father's centennial exhibition 'John Clemmer: A  Legacy in Art,' presented at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The Clemmer family extends its gratitude to Rick and Martha for their generosity and for their continued commitment to the legacy of John Clemmer. 




July 22, 2022


In the afterglow of John's centennial exhibition it's been a pretty quiet year thus far—not surprising considering the intense activity of 2021. But today would have been John's 101st birthday and I'm marking the occasion by posting this (admittedly poor) photo of a lovely portrait of John by his friend and colleague, Buford Pickens.


Pickens was a highly significant person in John's life—he's the one who brought John into the Tulane fold by hiring him to teach drawing to School of Architecture students in 1951 following the demise of the Arts & Crafts Club of New Orleans. This small mixed media piece has been in the family's collection for as long as I can remember and I think it's probably the best portrait of John, aside from his assorted self-portraits. It really captures his intelligence and focus and it's just a great likeness overall. I've never seen any other examples of Pickens' artwork, but if this piece is characteristic then he was a very talented artist indeed.


Take a moment to remember the man, his life and his work today. His legacy continues on. 


February 18, 2022


My first post of the new year (not quite so new at this point) is probably the final installment regarding 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art.' The show has been down for over three months now and it's a bit odd, actually. This project was about five years in the making and now that it's all done and dusted there seems to be an empty spot where all of the work and worry and anticipation of the show and the catalogue once was. But not to worry—there will be more projects, more exhibitions to come, no doubt.


In the meantime, as sort of a coda to the project, here is the link to an article in the winter, 2022, issue of Tulanian magazine, regarding the university's illustrious alum, John Clemmer, authored by fellow alum, Judith Bonner. (Question of Clarification: Technically speaking, are you considered an alum even if you didn't actually graduate from the institution in question?) Thanks again, Judith, for all of your hard work and for being with me every step of the way to make sure it got done right!


https://tulanian.tulane.edu/winter-2022/john-clemmer-a-legacy-in-art


November 24, 2021


As promised, here is the link to the Historic New Orleans Collection's Quarterly magazine, Summer/Fall issue, 2021: https://www.hnoc.org/publications/quarterly/all-media-world-john-clemmer

You can view the complete issue by clicking on the image of the cover or download the magazine as a .pdf file by clicking on the indicated link. This issue reproduces nine pieces from the 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art' exhibition along with several photographs of the artist. The text is an extended excerpt from my essay in the exhibition catalogue. 


This beautiful edition of the Quarterly  features John's 1973 painting Circles: Homage to JMWT, 1973, on the cover. Painted as a tribute to the great English landscapist Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), the painting came at the tail end of John's Topographia series of abstractions, begun in 1969. Circles: Homage to JMWT clearly relates directly to the Topographia paintings in composition and size but differs from the others in its palette. My father's use of hot reds and oranges in this painting presents a distinct departure from the nocturnal blues and crepuscular purples that predominate in the other pieces. My father held onto this painting for many years and eventually loaned it to his sister, Weatsie Dorsey, sometime in the 1980s or '90s. I first saw the painting at Weatsie's house out at the lakefront in 1998 and it nearly knocked me off my feet. It is one of my father's most vibrant large abstractions on Masonite and one of a number of 'homage' pieces that he dedicated to artists, composers and musicians who were of special significance to him. The painting now resides in the collection of Kimberly and John Ed Bradley and was included in 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art.'


The great English director Mike Leigh directed a highly regarded biopic about Turner, released in 2014 and appropriately titled Mr. Turner. Timothy Spall turned in an award winning performance as the taciturn, often grumpy artist. I wish my dad had the chance to see this film—I think he would have gotten a kick out of it—but it was released the month after he passed away. If you haven't already seen the movie it's well worth tracking down.


Still forthcoming is an article in Tulane University's Tulanian magazine, text by Judith Bonner. More information on that to come.


Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!




November 8, 2021


All good things must end, and so it is with John's exhibition at the Historic New Orleans Collection. Despite all the roadblocks thrown up by the pandemic and hurricane Ida, the show was a great success and the attendance numbers were very good, especially in the last several weeks. The catalogue, of course, will the part that will be around for the long run and our second pass at a book signing event on the last day of the exhibition was very pleasant indeed. All three authors were in attendance and friends and family members braved the Quarter on a Saints home game Sunday to join us. Thank you all!


My deep gratitude goes once again to everyone who made this wonderful exhibition and publication possible—the HNOC museum staff, the folks in the publications department, the good people at the museum shop—but especially book designer Alison Cody, curator and co-author Judith Bonner, and co-author John Ed Bradley, and all of those whose loaned their artwork to the show. Thank you one and all from myself, the family, and of course on behalf of the artist himself, who I know would have been very pleased indeed with the fruits of our collective efforts over these past several years.


November 3, 2021


The word has finally come down that there will be a book signing event at the Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal Street, between 1 and 3 PM on this Sunday, November 7. Barring the unforeseen, all three authors—John Ed Bradley, Judith Bonner and myself—will be in attendance, Sharpie pens in hand. I know this is late notice but hopefully some of you will take advantage of some lovely autumnal weather (projected to be sunny and 71 degrees!) to come out for a final viewing of the exhibition and to get your catalogues signed for posterity. The signing could be taking place in the HNOC bookstore/gift shop on the ground floor, or possibly outside in the courtyard.


Two important items: Daylight savings time ends this weekend and we'll be setting our clocks back on Saturday night. Secondly, the HNOC is still enforcing strict covid protocols. The particulars are laid out on their website and you can see the info by clicking here: https://www.hnoc.org/visit  If the event takes place in the courtyard attendees will not be required to wear masks.


I hope to see some of you this weekend. No way to know when another exhibition of this scale focused on John's work will happen again, so—if you haven't already seen the show, please come now, and if you already have visited the exhibition please consider coming again for a nice closing day sendoff.





October 21, 2021


Okay—speaking for myself, I am not predicting any Emmy nominations, but as promised, here it is: The episode of WYES's Steppin Out that you've all been waiting for. I hooked into the proceedings from my dad's studio in Black River, WI, in order to offer a few words of insight (?) as regards the man himself and the film that I put together to commemorate the occasion of 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art' at the Historic New Orleans Collection. Exhibition curator Judith Bonner was also on hand to add her unparalleled expertise to the panel.


Pictured above is what host Peggy Scott Laborde (top left) refers to as the 'the Brady Bunch shot' featuring all of the talking heads gathered together for the program. That's your's truly at the lower center. No, wait—upper center (sorry Poppy Tooker!). Everybody else seems to know how to smile properly while the best I can manage is to look mildly perplexed. Peggy and Poppy—now that's some serious professional grade smiling there!


There was a bit of a delay in the audio/video feed from the Crescent City to America's Dairyland, but otherwise everything came off pretty well. Many thanks to Judith Bonner (that's Judith at lower left) and to Peggy and the Steppin Out/WYES crew for making this happen.


The link to the episode on YouTube is here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S3KnxGsoRo


Now, if you haven't done it already—or even if you have already done it already—it's time to get on down to the Quarter and see 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art.' The exhibition closes on November 7, so be there or be rectangular!


Still no word on a book signing event. Fingers crossed!


October 16, 2021


I'm pleased to post another update, this one from a feature on The Historic New Orleans Collection's website called First Draft: Stories from THNOC. This installment features my friend and catalogue co-author, John Ed Bradley. John Ed's knowledge of and passion for the New Orleans art world of the early/mid 20th centuries is unparalleled and in this edition of First Draft he delves into that world and his friendship with my dad. John Ed immediately recognized my dad for the master artist that he was and also that he was a rare conduit into the world of the early modern art scene in the French Quarter, particularly that which centered around the Arts & Crafts Club and its associated art school. It's a great read and the link is here:


https://www.hnoc.org/publications/first-draft/one-writers-journey-circle-famed-new-orleans-artist-john-clemmer





October 14, 2021


The Historic New Orleans Collection has published the Summer/Fall edition of its Quarterly magazine, and a lovely issue it is indeed! The exhibition John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art takes pride of place in this issue, with the cover image (Homage to J.M.W.T , 1973, from the collection of Kimberly & John Ed Bradley), six pages of editorial, paparazzi photos from the exhibition reception, and 15 photos of the artist and his work. The text is an excerpt from my essay in the exhibition catalogue, of which I hope you already either possess a copy or will do so soon. It's a beautiful book, and this is a lovely issue of the Quarterly and a wonderful tribute to the artist and his legacy.


As for other matters, I am still hoping to get confirmation of a second book signing event at the HNOC, with all three authors in attendance. I will update this page as soon as I know more. Next week I will be doing a remote interview with the good folks at New Orleans PBS station WYES for their program Steppin' Out, which I believe airs on Thursdays at 7:00 PM. If you are out of the WYES viewing area or if you miss the broadcast, fear not as you can view it on YouTube after the initial airing. I will update this page once I have confirmation on the airing date, and the YouTube link will be posted here as well.


Thanks to the Historic New Orleans Collection staff for their great work and a wonderful issue of the Quarterly! The Quarterly will also be available online in downloadable .pdf form, and I'll post that link when it becomes available.


October 8, 2021


Here, as promised, is the link to the podcast of WWNO FM's program The Reading Life, hosted by Susan Larson, which aired today. The show features conversation with the three co-authors of the Historic New Orleans Collection catalogue for 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art': Yours truly (David Clemmer), exhibition curator Judith Bonner, and novelist and family friend John Ed Bradley. The program is 27 minutes long. Check back on occasion for information about a follow-up book signing event at THNOC, most likely to take place in the first week of November.


https://www.wwno.org/podcast/the-reading-life/2021-10-08/the-reading-life-david-clemmer-judith-bonner-john-ed-bradley


September 29, 2021


John Pope, an old friend of my brother's and arts reporter extraordinaire for the Times Picayune/Advocate/NOLA.com, has written a fine feature piece for the paper's Lagniappe section. I am including here both the link to the NOLA.com website and a transcript of the article (the NOLA.com website can be a bit of bear, with paywalls and pop-up windows galore). Many thanks to John for his excellent reportage and to everyone who made themselves available for the article.


Keep an eye on this page for more on the exhibition John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art, including a link to the WWNO program/webcast 'The Reading Life,' hosted by Susan Larson! The show closes on November 7, so if you haven't seen it yet please do go soon. It's a wonderful exhibition and I guarantee that you'll enjoy it.


https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/arts/article_769c2d2a-0520-11ec-a4c3-27de46f41e76.html


‘He Was Always Exploring’: Versatile artist John Clemmer is the Focus of Wide-Ranging Retrospective


By John Pope, Contributing Writer, September 27, 2021


For as long as anyone can remember, John Clemmer existed to make art.


“That was bred in the bone with him,” his son David Clemmer said. “Whenever I asked about his early development as an artist, his answer was, ‘I was always drawing’”


It started when John Clemmer was growing up in poverty near Bayou Goula, and it flowered in New Orleans, first at Alceé Fortier High School, then at the renowned Arts and Crafts Club in the French Quarter and, finally, at Tulane University, where he was a professor of architecture then chair of Newcomb College’s Art Department, even though he didn’t have a college degree.


Throughout his long life, Clemmer made a point of going into his studio every day, his son Jonathan Clemmer said. “Even if he wasn’t feeling particularly creative that day, being in the studio, with the smells of the oil and the turpentine and the other smells, was a tremendous comfort to him. It was his home.”


The strict regimen continued almost until his death in 2014. He was 92.


The fruits of Clemmer’s work ethic are on display at the Historic New Orleans Collection, which is celebrating the centennial of his birth with “John Clemmer—A Legacy in Art.” It is on view daily except Mondays through November 7 at 520 Royal Street, which happened to be the first address of the Arts and Crafts Club. Admission is free.


In a nearby gallery are 77 works by 76 artists who were part of Clemmer’s circle, including the sculptors Lim Emery and Angela Gregory and the architect Ivan Mandich. 


“He was a meticulous worker,” Mandich said. “He was organized beyond belief. I don’t think anyone I know had perfection to that degree. And he was a generous man.”


The exhibit of Clemmer’s work highlights his versatility, with sculpture and canvases showing not only representational art but also the influences of cubism and expressionism, as well as his massive picture of the Belle Grove plantation house, which offers nothing less than a visual tutorial in geometry with its repeated squares, rectangles and triangles.


There is no overarching theme to his work or the exhibit, and that’s the point, David Clemmer said. “He was difficult to pigeonhole. Even when he had an idea, he didn’t get locked into any one thing. He was always exploring.”


“He was interested in so many things,” said Judith H. Bonner, the exhibit’s curator, as she strolled through the gallery, offering comments and context about each of the 61 pieces on display.


“That was one of the things that we wanted to be obvious in this exhibition—that he did not have a single interest,” she said. “Even though he is classified as an abstract artist, there’s more. You’ll see representational works up there. You’ll see some things that are abstract but recognizable; it’s an overall abstract treatment. And then there are things that are totally nonrepresentational. It’s just varied.


“There’s not going to be one overall style (in his work). There’s a development and a maturity of style.”


“He didn’t see his career as divided into periods,” said the writer John Ed Bradley, a longtime friend. “He saw it as one long stream of life.”


The closest the exhibition comes to encapsulating Clemmer’s painterly style is the Topographia series, which features circles inside squares.


In those paintings, David Clemmer said, “there’s a combination of order and loose atmospheric abstraction. The combination of the two is very evocative of my dad. He had a very orderly approach to his artwork and his life but he had this abstract quality too.”


Bradley, who wrote about John Clemmer for the exhibit catalog, visited the artist frequently in his Uptown New Orleans studio and enjoyed watching him put colors on the canvas.


“He would build the surface and find his way, and something magical would appear,” Bradley said. “He used to say that the painting was communicating to him. He would know when the end came.”


Clemmer was born in 1921 in Ascension Parish, where he had a pet pig named Sandy. The family moved to New Orleans’ Irish Channel when he was 7 because there was no work to be had in that part of rural Louisiana during the Depression, he said in a video that David Clemmer produced.


After he graduated from Fortier, John Clemmer won a scholarship to the New Orleans Art School, which was part of the Arts and Crafts Club. At the time, the club was known as the place to go in New Orleans to see modern art. He taught there and became director of the club, which closed in 1951.


After the United States entered World War II, Clemmer worked for Higgins Industries, which was famed for making the Higgins boat. He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and served two years before being honorably discharged as a corporal.


Clemmer moved into academics in 1951, when he was named an instructor of drawing, painting and basic design in Tulane’s School of Architecture. He climbed the academic ladder and became a professor in 1974, four years before being named chair of Newcomb’s Art Department. He retired in 1986.


In David Clemmer’s video, his father likened the creative process to an uphill hike that he didn’t want to finish.


“I don’t want to get to the top,” he said. “I just want to have the slightest hint of what’s there and then stop because once you get to the top, you’re going down, and it’s too late.”


August 9, 2021


I'm pleased to announce that, at long last, the film 'John Clemmer Centennial: A Legacy in Art' is up and available for viewing on YouTube. The 22-minute film is best viewed in full screen mode—that's the icon at the far lower right corner of the YouTube screen. This project was a real labor of love and I hope you enjoy it. 



July 31, 2021




The opening reception for 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art' took place last night at The Historic New Orleans Collection. It was a beautiful event and many friends, family members, colleagues and former students were in attendance. The unfortunate delta variant covid surge required that no refreshments were provided and masks were required for all, but there was an excellent turnout nonetheless. Sadly our dear friend and catalogue co-author John Ed Bradley was not able to attend, but David Clemmer and Judith Bonner signed copies of the exhibition catalogue for attendees. There is already discussion of another signing event to be held at a later date when all three authors can be present and, hopefully, when pandemic concerns have subsided (again).


Thanks to all of the HNOC staff for their hard work and dedication to making this event a success. Please do try to see the exhibition if you haven't already—it will be up on the walls through the first week of November. The catalogue is available at the HNOC Museum Shop in person and online, and through Amazon and many other online retailers.


Check back again soon for more photos and updates about the John Clemmer film, hopefully linked to this site soon.


July 23, 2021



Toasting John's 100th birthday in the New Orleans studio: left to right—Tom Bonner, Judith Bonner, David Clemmer, Ivan Mandich


The exhibition lineup in the Historic New Orleans Collection lobby, 7/21/21.



The exhibition installation in progress, 7/21/21.


July 22, 2021


Today is the day--John's 100th birthday. An auspicious occasion by any measure, but made all the more so by the opening of the long-awaited centennial exhibition, 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art' at the Historic New Orleans Collection. I had the opportunity to preview the show yesterday in the company of Judith Bonner, curator of the exhibition and co-author (along with myself and John Ed Bradley) of the exhibition catalogue. The show is a stunner, in my humble opinion, and it's actually two shows in one: When you arrive on the 3rd floor at 520 Royal you will find 'John Clemmer: 1921-2014' to the left and 'Clemmer's Circle: His Teachers, Students, and Colleagues' to the right. Together they present a definitive picture of the rich artistic milieu in which my father lived and worked during his nearly 93 years in New Orleans. The opening reception for the exhibition is scheduled for Friday, July 30, between 6 and 8 PM. Exhibition catalogues will be available and we will be signing copies beginning at 7 PM. There is limited attendance but check the HNOC website to see if you can register for the reception--there may yet be a few reservations available (free of cost, of course).


Still no word on where to view the film (see below). Keep an eye on these pages and it may very well appear here ne'er long these days.


So today it's Happy 100th Birthday to John. His friends, family and admirers across the land are thinking of him on this day and we hope that he would be pleased by the exhibition, the catalogue, the film and all the much-deserved attention that he is receiving on this special occasion. Raise a glass to the artist and his memory if you have a chance.



 Bill Fagaly (right) with Charlie & Kent Davis at NOMA, 1983                       Lin Emery with John at the Orleans Gallery, 1964


June 6, 2021


I must make note of the passing of two important people who were longtime friends of my parents and who made highly significant contributions to the cultural life of New Orleans over the course of their long careers. Lin Emery was an artist greatly admired by my father and several examples of her work reside in our family collection. In 1967, Lin and her husband Shirley Braselman became the subjects of one my father's finest portraits (a work that will be included in the forthcoming HNOC exhibition). My mother first met Lin when they were both students at the University of Chicago in the early 1940s. They renewed their acquaintance in New Orleans in 1947 when my mother was Lin's upstairs neighbor in the French Quarter (my mother recalls that she got her first glimpse of John through Lin's doorway when she was climbing the stairs to her apartment one day). Bill Fagaly's five-decade career as a curator at the New Orleans Museum of Art was an impressive feat by any measure. Bill and NOMA director John Bullard were a dynamic duo who oversaw the modernization of the museum, the expansion of the collection and many notable exhibitions (including John's 1999 retrospective) over the years of their remarkable run. Great respect to Lin and Bill and condolences to their loved ones—they will be missed.







June 5, 2021


At last the time has finally come to announce—formally announce—the full info on John's upcoming exhibition at the Historic New Orleans Collection. The HNOC has posted the information on their website (the link to the Upcoming Exhibitions page is here) and the dates are confirmed as July 22nd through November 7. There has also been a nice mention of the exhibition in the pages of 64parishes.org which you can access here (the dates listed on 64parishes are slightly different, but the broad strokes are accurate). The location, as previously stated, is 520 Royal Street and admission is free but will require a ticket. As to what the allowed occupancy of the building might be when the exhibition opens, there's no way to know with any certainty—it's a moving target so please check with the HNOC before planning your visit.


A lavishly illustrated 164-page catalogue will accompany 'John Clemmer: A Legacy In Art.' The book is already listed on Amazon for pre-order. The release date shows as August 5—two weeks after the exhibition opens—but I'm hoping that copies will be available at the HNOC by July 22. To order or pre-order a copy just search under John's name at Amazon and the listing for the HNOC catalogue will pop right up (along with some used copies of John's 1999 NOMA catalogue—well worth grabbing a copy if you don't already have one). I've got an advance .pdf of the new catalogue and it looks like it will be spectacular. Many thanks to the HNOC staff and book designer Alison Cody in particular for doing a superlative job. The book is being printed in Italy and I can't wait to see the finished product!


And now, as if that weren't enough, I am pleased to announce that I have completed a film to accompany all of the above. Titled (not coincidentally) 'John Clemmer Centennial: A Legacy in Art,' the film is 22 minutes long and features new and vintage footage and photographs tracing John's history back to his childhood in Bayou Goula through to 2014. It's a long life to fit into a 22-minute film but I'm hoping that it will provide viewers with an adequate overview of the man and his many accomplishments. I started working on the film in a serious fashion around September of last year and I finally arrived at what I considered to be a 'final' cut in the first week or two of April. I had made several short films previously utilizing Apple's iMovie program, but that was years ago and the software has evolved massively since then. Luckily, I was able to vibe my way through the iMovie process and great credit must go to Apple's software designers for creating a program that even a middling novice such as myself could figure out with nothing more than horse sense and trial-and-error. I was able to rescue outtakes from the four-plus hours of footage shot for the 1999 film 'John Clemmer: Sculpture' (viewable at the 'Images' page on this site), and that proved to be invaluable.  Almost all of the footage for the new film was shot on an iPhone 11 Pro and edited on my MacBook Pro laptop. Back in 1999, cinematographer/editor David Nicholson and I were lugging around bulky cameras, lenses, tripods and battery packs and we spent a week at an expensive editing suite just off Times Square in New York putting the whole project together. This time around I was able to carry all my gear in one small shoulder bag. 


The narration for the film is provided by John's voice. These recordings were made in Black River, WI, back in 1998 as I prepared to write the biographical essay that appeared in the 1999 NOMA catalogue 'John Clemmer: Exploring the Medium, 1940-1999.' The recordings were made on a Sony digital mini-disc recorder and I have burned them onto discs and donated them to the HNOC's Williams Research Center. I recorded original music for the film here at home in Santa Fe.


Once things have been coordinated with the Historic New Orleans Collection (and possibly WYES in New Orleans) I hope to be able to post the video here on the website. There may (or may not?) be a special viewing of the film in New Orleans at some point around the time of the opening of the exhibition but that remains uncertain as of this writing. Check back in on occasion and the info will be posted as it becomes available. 


I hope as many of you as possible will be able to make the trip to New Orleans (if you're not already there) for 'John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art.' It's going to be a fantastic exhibition and a wonderful salute to the man and his legacy. It's been a long and winding road to finally get to this point, but I know that all the work has been well worth it. See you in New Orleans!




July 22, 2020


It’s hard to believe that three years have elapsed since my last update on this site. So much has happened and so many things have changed in the world that it’s almost impossible to comprehend it all. Through all the trials and tribulations, one thing that has made it easier to stay focused on the future and better times to come is this: I am pleased to announce a forthcoming exhibition focusing on the life and work of John Clemmer. Tentatively titled ‘John Clemmer: A Legacy in Art,’ this exhibition will celebrate the 100th anniversary of John’s birth (99 years ago today, to be exact). The exhibition will be presented by the Historic New Orleans Collection in concert with a companion exhibition, tentatively titled ‘John Clemmer’s Art Circle: His Teachers, Students and Colleagues.’ The venue will be the HNOC’s brand new museum space—the Seignouret-Brulatour Building and Tricentennial Wing, located at 520 Royal Street. There will be a substantial publication produced to accompany the exhibition featuring essays by yours truly, David Clemmer, art scholar and family friend John Ed Bradley, and exhibition curator Judith Bonner.


The dates for the exhibition are not entirely firm yet, but it looks as though it will open in June and run through October, 2021. I will update these pages as soon as there is more concrete information to be had. The planning for this project was initiated by myself three years ago and it has been steadily gathering steam ever since. Of course no one could have foretold the advent of COVID-19 and the global disruption and heartbreak that it would entail. New Orleans was hit early and hit hard but if there is any city in America that has proven its resilience in the face of adversity it is this one. Hopefully by next summer things will be under control and we will be able to gather together to celebrate John’s substantial legacy.


In the meantime, I will endeavor to update these pages regularly. Please feel free to contact me through the email link on the Contact page of this site. Any and all inquiries will be answered in a timely fashion. Although travel has necessarily been curtailed I do hope to be in New Orleans again in later summer/early fall of this year, and certainly for extended periods next year as the exhibition approaches.


Thanks for checking in, and Happy Birthday, John!

John (at left) during his military service, circa 1945.

July 22, 2017


Today would have been John’s 96th birthday and his family and friends are all thinking of him on this occasion. To observe the event I have picked a few images from the archives showing John through the years. The family holds a wonderful trove of photos, letters, clippings and of course artwork that documents John’s long life and career, all of which we hope to put to good use in the years to come. John’s work is in the collections of the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Louisiana Arts and Sciences Museum and, of course, the Historic New Orleans Collection, and it is our intention to continue to expand those holdings for the benefit of future scholars and art lovers. In the meantime, please take a moment to remember the man and the artist on this, his special day. Happy birthday, John!

John in Mardi Gras costume, ca. mid 1950s.

Passport photo, ca. early ’60s, and yes, he definitely is smiling.

John in his Sheboygan studio, ca. late 1990s. Four works in progress!

March 17, 2017

I am pleased to report that John’s magnificent 1970 painting Topographia IV—Cosmas II will be included in the exhibition ‘Deceptive Space: Op Art from the New Orleans Museum of Art,’ presented at the Slidell Cultural Center. The exhibition opens tomorrow, March 18, and will be up until April 29. There’s not much info on the Slidell Cultural Center site as of this writing, but hopefully there will be more forthcoming.


Topographia IV—Cosmas II is one of a series of ten paintings that John executed in the late 1960s and early ’70s. Most are in a square format and they apply a hard-edged geometric structure to the softer abstract forms that John had been exploring from the late 1950s through the ’60s. The titles of the paintings indicate John’s interest in Byzantine art—the work of sixth-century Alexandrian scholar and cartographer Cosmas Indicopleustes in particular—in combination with the inspiration he gathered from his travels in Europe and Latin America. This series of paintings and their related sketches and oil studies reflect a significant development in John’s work. The combination of abstraction with a basic geometric format (often three vertical divisions, each one dominated by a different hue) was a motif that he was to continue to explore throughout the remaining 45 years of his career. Topographia IV—Cosmas II is in the permanent collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art and was reproduced on the cover of the catalogue for ‘Exploring the Medium: 1940-1999’— NOMA’s career retrospective of John’s work.

January 17, 2017


A new year is upon us and the time seems right to offer some beautiful and rarely seen examples of John’s work, newly framed and on display in the studio for the first time. John produced a fair body of work in a variety of graphic media over the years but all indications are that he displayed them infrequently, if at all. Regardless, from the mid-to-late 1950s to the early 1960s John regularly worked with linoleum block printing and screenprinting processes, the results of which include a number of unique examples incorporating elements of collage and hand-coloring. John’s graphic works clearly relate directly to his painting and drawing but have a mid-century modern quality that is uniquely their own. In 2000 and 2006 John produced a series of monotypes at Hand Graphics Studio in Santa Fe but he never worked with block or screenprinting again. The prints pictured here were expertly framed by Ben Joyce Fine Art Frames of Santa Fe and are all glazed with Tru Vue museum glass.

Untitled, 1957, screenprint, 26 1/4 x 20 inches (sheet)

Untitled (Floral), 1957, 20 x 26 1/4 inches (sheet)

Untitled, ca. 1960s, linocut, 20 x 16 inches (sheet)

Untitled (Collage), 1960, linocut with collage, 10 x 15 inches (sheet)

Maze (Variant), ca. 1950s, screenprint, 13 x 20 inches (sheet)

Maze, ca. 1950s, screenprint, 13 x 20 inches (sheet)

July 22. 2016


Today we take time again to observe John’s birthday—this would have been his 95th. Son David is currently in New Orleans working on organizing John’s archives, Dottie is at home in Milwaukee and son Jonathan is touring the American West in his recently acquired RV. Regardless of where we are, John’s family and friends will all take a moment today to think of him. Towards that end, below is reproduced another image from the archives—a photo from March, 1987, taken at the New Orleans Museum of Art during Newcomb College’s Centennial faculty art show. Pictured with John are our good friend and Senior Curator at the Historic New Orleans Collection, Judith Bonner (left), and on the right another close family friend, the artist (and Newcomb graduate) Ida Rittenburg Kohlmeyer.


In John’s immortal words, ‘I AM smiling!’ And indeed he is. Happy Birthday, John.

May 5, 2016


It was a quiet winter season for the Clemmer family but with the arrival of spring we have some news to report. Most significantly, John’s 1999 sculpture Hashivenu was donated by 3618 Studio, llc, to Chai Point, Milwaukee. Dottie is, of course, still resident at Chai Point and it seemed fitting for the sculpture to find a permanent home here. John’s roots were in Wisconsin as his father, John Franklin Clemmer, Sr., was born there and John began visiting Sheboygan regularly in the mid 1950s. Hashivenu was originally commissioned in 1999 and you can see the piece in progress in the ‘John Clemmer: Sculpture’ film for which there is a link on the ‘Images’ page on this site. A dedication ceremony was held at Chai Point on the afternoon of May 4 and Dottie, David, Jonathan and Dottie’s sister Judy were all in attendance along with residents of Chai Point and our dear neighbors from Sheboygan, Sherm and Mary Laviolette. Some adjustments will be made to the presentation of the piece (lighting, a backing of some sort, a plaque) but it already looks quite beautiful in its new home.

David, Dottie, Judy and Jonathan at the dedication of John Clemmer’s ‘Hashivenu’ at Chai Point, Milwaukee, on May 4.

In other news, in April David escorted Dottie on a lovely Viking River Cruise of the Low Countries. The journey began and ended in Amsterdam with visits to Hoorn, Arnhem, Kinderdijk, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Brussels, Bruinisse and Rotterdam along the way. The weather was spring-like (i.e., not terribly cold but wet and windy) for much of the trip but that did not dampen David and Dottie’s enjoyment of the many wonderful places they visited. Highlights included trips to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the amazing Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo. A lovely time was had by one and all. John and Dottie were dedicated travelers and we were thinking of John often during our trip, which ended on the second anniversary of John’s passing in 2014.

Dottie in Antwerp, Belgium, April 8.

3618 Studio has also initiated a series of donations of John’s artwork to the Historic New Orleans Collection. The first two groups of artwork consist primarily of early works on paper dating from the late 1930s and 1940s. These fascinating pieces document John’s student days at the Arts & Crafts Club of New Orleans and the period following his military service when he returned to New Orleans and became an instructor at and, eventually, director of the Arts & Crafts Club. There could be no better venue for these works than the the HNOC which will preserve them and make them available for scholars investigating John’s legacy and a very significant and fertile period in the history of modern art in New Orleans.

From the Archives

John in his Foucher Street studio, circa 1970.

The New Orleans Museum of Art, featuring the Pierre Joseph Landry exhibition.

December 14, 2015


I apologize for the long delay in posting new info on this site—it has been a very busy summer and fall season with much coming and going and regular visits to Sheboygan and New Orleans. There is interesting news to report, starting off with the exhibition of Pierre Joseph Landry’s amazing woodcarvings at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The show, titled Pierre Joseph Landry: Patriot, Planter, Sculptor, opened in mid-October and will remain on display until May 20, 2016. It brings together all eleven known works by Landry, who produced his carvings in present-day Iberville Parish in the 1830s and ’40s. Landry was a fascinating individual who lived during a time of great tumult and change in Louisiana. As a fifteen-year-old Landry immigrated with his family from France, arriving in Louisiana in August, 1785. He married twice, fathered 17 (!) children, and served with distinction in the military, rising to the rank of first lieutenant in Meriam’s Militian, subsequently serving as captain and commander of a regiment under his friend, Major General Andrew Jackson. Landry and his regiment fought in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. In the 1820s, Landry was stricken with tuberculosis of the knee and was thereafter confined to a wheelchair. With no formal instruction, he began producing his carvings utilizing local woods such as elm, magnolia and oak. He died in St. Gabriel in 1843, a wealthy, accomplished and worldly man with substantial land holdings and a large family.


Pierre Joseph Landry’s carvings are remarkable for their level of technical accomplishment but they also reflect the artist’s engagement with the larger world and the geopolitical environment of his day (Napoleon Bonaparte and Andrew Jackson both make appearances). Some of the carvings illustrate biblical allegories, others suggest a rather ribald sense of humor, and some remain enigmatic to this day. John Clemmer was a Landry on his mother’s side of the family and members of the Landry clan exist in great numbers across south Louisiana. I’m afraid can’t give the exact relationship between Pierre Joseph and John except that it was something in the manner of a great-great-great maternal grandfather, or thereabouts. This exhibition is a rare opportunity to appreciate the fullness of Landry’s artistic achievement and everyone is encouraged to visit NOMA between now and May of next year. The exhibition was co-curated by longtime family friend William Fagaly, who also contributed to the exhibition catalogue with his co-curators Katherine H. Burlison and Richard Anthony Lewis. More information on the exhibition is available by clicking here.


Dottie visited the Landry exhibition in early December with John Ed Bradley and found it fascinating and beautifully installed, not that one would expect anything else from the good people at NOMA. It cannot pass without mention that the self-portrait bust by Landry bears a bit more than a passing resemblance to his descendant, John Clemmer.



July 22, 2015


Today would have been John’s 94th birthday. We miss him every day but his memory remains very much alive. John’s paintings have hit new highs at auction (specifically, last month’s Neal Auction—see below) and a piece of his sculpture is soon to be installed in the main lobby area of Chai Point in Milwaukee—John’s final residence and Dottie’s home to this day. The piece is a scroll sculpture and was originally commissioned in 1999 by a couple residing in Chicago’s northern suburbs. This was John’s final sculptural commission and he can be seen working on it in the short film on his sculptural work that appears at the bottom of the Images page on this site. The Clemmer family was able to acquire the sculpture from the owners in Chicago and we will post images of the piece when it is installed in its new home.


The image to accompany this news update is a fascinating one. Discovered in a folder in John’s New Orleans studio this spring, it is a photo of John taken in early 1946, most likely at the Arts & Crafts Club in the French Quarter. John had just returned from his military service and was 24 years old. Behind the camera was Elliott Erwitt, the celebrated Paris-born American photographer and future member of the Magnum Photos cooperative (co-founded by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and others in 1947). Erwitt was just 17 years old at the time he photographed John and the story of how the two happened to meet is still being researched. Their friendship extended over 46 years as a copy of a book of Erwitt’s beach photographs from John’s library attests: It is signed and inscribed on the title page ‘For John Clemmer with many thanks for a wonderful surprise! Elliott Erwitt, New Orleans, 21 Feb. 1992.’ This atmospheric photo, quite possibly a unique print, provides evidence of the talent of the aspiring young photographer and evokes John in the prime of his youthful Paul Newman-esque good looks.


Happy Birthday, John. We are all thinking of you today.

John Clemmer, New Orleans, 1946. Photo by Elliott Erwitt.

June 21, 2015


We are thrilled that the good folks at the Neal Auction Company in New Orleans decided to honor John by reproducing one of his paintings on the cover of the catalogue for their forthcoming sale. The beautiful small painting on board, which appears in the Clemmer inventory as Still Life-Orange was painted circa 1968 and was given to our beloved friend Dr. Brown Crosby Mason. Dr. Mason was David and Jonathan’s pediatrician from birth through high school and he passed away in February of this year. He was a lovely, gentle man and a gentleman of the old school. His obituary can be found by clicking here. The esteem in which he was held by generations of New Orleanians is evidenced by the dozens of heartfelt tributes entered in the Guest Book.


In addition to the cover painting for the Neal Auction June 27-28 sale there are two additional pieces—a floral painting from Dr. Mason’s collection and a 1968 piece titled Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego from a private New Orleans collection. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego is but one of many pieces in John’s oeuvre with a religious theme. As a person who was not overtly religious, the use of religious themes and iconography in John’s work offers a promising area for future research.


We look forward to John’s paintings bringing strong prices in the forthcoming sale!

Neal Auction catalogue 6/27-28/15

April 11, 2015


Today marks the one year anniversary of John’s passing. We are all thinking of him today.

John in his studio, New Orleans, February 9, 2014.

John and Dottie having dinner aboard Le Calife, Paris, May 6, 2007.

March 23, 2015


It is my pleasure to post here John Ed Bradley’s eulogy for John, delivered at Touro Synagogue in New Orleans on May 9, 2014. John Ed’s text was originally published in the Xavier Review, Volume 34, issues 1 & 2, in the fall of 2014. The publication of John Ed’s eulogy was achieved through the efforts of Dr. Tom Bonner, contributing editor of the Xavier Review.

Left to right: Tom and Judith Bonner, John Ed Bradley, Ivan Mandich and Elizabeth Weinstein at “John Clemmer: New & Selected Work,” Louisiana Arts and Sciences Museum, Baton Rouge, LA, March, 2012.

He kept an old Carnival mask hanging from the top of a window frame in his studio. It was up near the ceiling, held there by a string.


There were small holes for the eyes. The mouth was a dark red smear. The skin had yellowed with age. He’d painted it many years before, when he was a young artist in the French Quarter. He said it was the last one he’d painted, the last of hundreds. I wondered if he kept it as a reminder of how far his life had taken him. I was so in awe of John I thought it was a masterpiece and belonged in a museum.


“How much you want for it?” I asked him once. “How about a thousand dollars?”


“For that?”


“Okay, two thousand? I’ll write you a check today.”


“Why don’t you take it? Just don’t tell Dottie.”

Carnival mask, Clemmer studio, New Orleans


He was only teasing, but I wasn’t. Later it occurred to me that the reason he kept the mask ten feet off the ground was to make sure I couldn’t reach it.


Many of you had the pleasure of visiting John in his studio. It was just around the corner from the big Victorian where Dottie and John raised Jonathan and David. You climbed stairs up to a wooden porch, and there was a small sign tipped back against the window that said “3618 STUDIO.”


You knocked and waited and finally the door pulled open. And there he was: White-haired, smiling, glasses perched on his nose, New Balance running shoes on his feet. “The Great John Clemmer,” I liked to say, bellowing for all the neighbors to hear.


Classical music was always playing. Sunlight fell in puddles on the floor. On your left there was a poster taped to the wall for a Pierre Bonnard exhibition. In front of you was a long cypress table crowded with cans of colored pencils and his most recent drawings. On your right were shelves piled high with brushes and tubes of paint. Further on there was an old desk holding little ant mounds of paint. Then there was his easel, a big homemade thing with wheels that could support large canvases.


You’d sit in director’s chairs and talk about art and the artists he knew until it was time to walk to Barcia’s Grocery for shrimp po-boys and Barq’s root beer. When he entered the ladies behind the counter would say, “Hello, Mr. Clemmer. How are you doing today, Mr. Clemmer?”


There’s a funny story John liked to tell. He’d finished work on one of his greatest paintings, and he showed it to one of the Barcia children, who was then a teenager, and asked for her opinion. She appraised it for a minute then shook her head sadly and said, “Not enough blending.”


John loved that. Whenever I visited him and saw a new painting in the works, I’d give my head a shake and say, “John, not enough blending.”


I’ll tell you how I met him. It was twelve years ago, and I was obsessively collecting art. On my days off I liked to go to the Williams Research Center and read through the artist files. It seemed every story in those files included his name. You read about artists who exhibited at the Arts and Crafts Club in the 1940s, and there was John Clemmer. You read about Paul Ninas or Xavier Gonzales or Enrique Alferez, and there was Clemmer. You read about Newcomb or Tulane: Clemmer. The Orleans Gallery? Clemmer.


Finally I asked for the Clemmer file, and a research assistant brought me a huge folder filled with old news clippings, photographs, and fliers for exhibitions. I spent hours poring over it. John’s story, I realized, was no less than the story of art in Louisiana in the twentieth century.


I decided I had to meet him. So I went home and wrote him a letter. And before you know it he and Dottie and I were sitting together in their condo on St. Charles Avenue. I put a tape recorder between them and started pitching questions, most of them about artists whose work I’d collected.


What was Alberta Kinsey like? I asked John.

John in his New Orleans studio, May, 2010


“She was marvelous,” he said. And he served up stories about her, one after another.


Kinsey died in 1952, but John brought her to life for me—the way she dressed, the smell of flowers in her garden. He took me into her home on Royal Street, where she was giving private instruction to a chubby little boy named Jimmy Lamantia, who was sprawled on the floor drawing pictures.


What about Paul Ninas? I asked.


“Paul was rather exotic, “ John replied. And now I was with the two of them, walking the streets of the Quarter. Paul wore a brightly colored sash around his waist instead of a belt. At his home on Esplanade Avenue he kept a piece of driftwood in the living room. Yes, driftwood.


John invited me to his studio, and soon we were getting together a couple of times a week. I must’ve asked him about two hundred different artists, and he knew them all.


“Oh, sure,” he’d say, each time I brought up another one. It seemed incredible. Could his memory really be that good?


One day I did an awful thing. I decided to test him, since he knew so much, and I invented a name. This artist never existed; I made him up. “What about Leon Bowie, John?”


He perked up. “Leon Bowie?”


“That’s right. I’m sure you knew him.”


“Never heard of him,” he said.


He gave me permission to dig around in the racks where he kept his paintings. Some dated back to his youth. “What about this one, John?” I’d yell when I found something interesting.


“Which one?” And he’d come shuffling over for a look.


“Oh, that’s ‘Noon Visit,’” he said, and he told me the story that inspired it—an ill-fated love affair, rendezvous at noon, the plane crash that ended it. What a perfect name, I thought. He told me how he’d used paints hand-made by a guy named Larry Bocour. You couldn’t get them anymore, Bocour was dead, but put your fingertips on that surface, feel the grainy texture. That’s what Bocour’s paints gave you.


No surprise, I was enthralled by John and his world. I was then in my forties but I already felt old and used, while he was in his eighties and driven like mad to paint. You would’ve thought he was in the spring of his career, the way he worked each day. I went to see him one morning and he was sitting in his chair looking at a painting from 1947. It was leaning back against his easel, and he was studying it intently. I told him how much I liked it, and he said “It’s not finished yet.”


“Come on,” I said. “How can it not be finished?”


He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just not. But we’ve been talking to each other again. It’s doing this…” And he curled a finger in on itself.

A still life in process, Clemmer studio, New Orleans, 2008


John and I had a lot of adventures together. One day we went to the home of an amateur painter who’d repeatedly called him asking for an appraisal of her work. Seems nobody would give it to her straight—Was she any good?—and she thought she’d get a master to give his opinion. The walls of her home were festooned with her work. There were paintings from floor ceiling, paintings stacked behind chairs and in corners, paintings under beds, paintings hanging from doors.


It looked like my house, in other words, but these paintings were all by her hand, painted in the throes of some desperate fever, which explained the palette. The lady like color—color before anything else. You risked corneal damage if you stared too long.


“What about this one, Professor Clemmer?” she said.


John stepped up to it. “Oh, yes,” he said.


“And this one?”


“Oh, my,” he answered.


He was so patient with her. So gentle. He understood that she really didn’t want his criticism. What she wanted was to be acknowledged. She existed; she had done what she could with what she’d been given; here was proof. We went all through the house and finally came to a small painting on the second floor. John tipped his head back and studied it through his glasses.


“Lovely,” he whispered.


She was straining to hear him.


“Lovely,” he said again.


Tears poured from the lady’s eyes, and he turned and faced her. And something in her countenance seemed to lift. A burden, a fear. If ever John’s decency was on display, it was at this moment.


“Thank you for a pleasant afternoon, my dear,” he said. And we left.


We went to gallery and museum exhibitions. One day at the Milwaukee Art Museum Dottie and I became separated from him. He seemed to have disappeared. We searched from room to room and eventually found him standing in front of a big Pierre Bonnard oil painting. John greatly admired Bonnard. I should’ve known he would be here. “John, we thought you were lost,” I said.


He didn’t look away from the painting. He was pressed up close to the surface, examining it. “How—does—he—do—that?”


By now Bonnard had been dead for almost sixty years, but John was referring to him in the present tense. He was alive because his painting was alive.


Another day in New Orleans John and I were driving down Magazine Street when he suddenly reached over, patted me on the arm, and told me to stop. He was peering through the window at a two-story house built close to the street. “I live there once,” he said.


“You and Dottie?” I asked him.


“No,” he answered. “With my family when I was a boy.”


Then he told me a story. He’d been playing with friends about a block away, when a terrible blast rocked the neighborhood. He went running toward the noise and turned the corner. A gas explosion had ripped through his house. His mother was dead. So was an old aunt who lived with them.


I didn’t know what to say to him. In November of 1937, when the accident occurred, John would’ve been sixteen years old. And he was in his late eighties this day. It struck me that he’d been passing by this house for seventy years. The memory would’ve been unavoidable.


“John, what do you remember about your mom?” I asked him.


“I remember she was beautiful,” he said.


“What else?”


He kept looking through the window. “Just that,” he said. “That she was beautiful.” He patted me on the arm again. “Okay,” he said, “let’s go.”

John studying a painting on the easel, Clemmer studio, New Orleans, 2006


I had a writing instructor at LSU who said to me once, “There are years of my life that aren’t worth days of my life.”


He was no lightweight, this man. But I was 21 years old, and I didn’t understand what he meant: “There are years of my life that aren’t worth days of my life.” How could this be?


I think I understand now. I wouldn’t trade days with John for whole years I lived before I knew him. 1973, for instance. Give me a handful of mornings with John and I’ll give you 1973.


1987. I’d give you all of ’87 for just one more afternoon in his studio. Not enough? How about 1999? Take it. You can have them both. Give me John.


We get up, we get dressed. We stumble out in the world. The car starts, the road is clear. We drive to his studio and park where we always do. We pass through the gate, the gate squeaks. We climb the stairs, we knock on the door, the door opens. There’s music, and light everywhere. And John.


There is always John.


 


January 23, 2015


As anticipated (and as noted in my 12/1/14 post), three more examples of John’s artwork are coming to auction soon. The venue is once again the Neal Auction in New Orleans and you can find the link to their forthcoming 2-day auction here. The sale takes place on January 31 and February 1 and there is a lovely small 1970 mixed media painting titled Til (lot #346) in the Saturday 1/31 session. The Sunday 2/1 session features a very fine 2002 colored pencil drawing titled Low Moon (lot #936) and an ink drawing of a still life of magnolia flowers in a vase (lot #937). I don’t know the date of the magnolia still life but it is an excellent example of John’s draftsmanship. Please note that the print catalogue (and possibly some online sources) illustrates Low Moon with an incorrect orientation—it’s a vertical, not a horizontal—and misstates that the floral still life is a lithograph, not an ink drawing. The estimates on all three pieces are very reasonable and we encourage one and all to bid on these treasures from the collection of family friend Joel Weinstock. We are still anticipating that a few more pieces from Joel’s collection will be coming to the Neal Auction in their next sale scheduled for April 17, 18 and 19.

Til, 1970

Low Moon, 2002

Untitled (Floral Still Life)


Although the floral piece in the Neal sale is not a lithograph, John did work fairly extensively in the graphic media. My inventory of John’s New Orleans studio includes a number of silkscreen prints, linoleum block prints and monotypes. These works have not been exhibited and I hope to have some examples framed up in the not too distant future.


To conclude, I’m posting a special and unique item here: John’s one and only piece executed in a digital medium. John’s relationship with technology was somewhat of a mixed bag. He never owned or, to my knowledge, used a computer but appreciated the world of possibilities that they opened up. (John always kept a typewriter and was quite a capable two-finger typist.) He never had a cell phone but didn’t object to them. When compact discs eventually emerged to replace vinyl records and cassette tapes he acquired them enthusiastically and built up a substantial classical collection—the only kind of music that he listened to. John was not a Luddite and despite his rather limited engagement with late 20th/early 21st century technology he frequently expressed joy and amazement in what it had to offer. The exception to the rule that John never used a computer is below—an untitled digital drawing executed in June, 2013, on an iPad belonging to our dear neighbors in Sheboygan, Steve Rassell and Gary Shea. Not bad at all for a first, and only, effort—it is still recognizably John’s hand.

Untitled Digital Drawing, 2013

December 1, 2014


Hard to believe, but another Thanksgiving has come and gone. It was just over a year ago that John and Dottie moved into their new apartment in Milwaukee and John was in everyone’s thoughts as the family gathered in the northern suburbs of Chicago at Judy Stein’s house for Thanksgiving, 2014. Judy’s house is decorated with numerous wonderful paintings by John so he was very much present and not only in mind.


Two of John’s paintings from the collection of longtime family friend Joel Weinstock were presented in the November 22 session of the Neal Auction Company’s Louisiana Purchase sale. I am pleased to report that both pieces exceeded their estimates: To The Beach, 1997, sold for $3,585 on an estimate of $1,500 to $2,500, and Bogota, 1965, sold for $2,151 on an estimate of $1,200 to $1,800. The family was very happy to see that Neal is featuring John’s paintings in their promotional materials and that the work is continuing to attract strong bidding. It is likely that additional examples of John’s work will appear in Neal’s auctions early next year—stay tuned for further details as they become available.

Bogota, 1965

To The Beach, 1997

September 23, 2014


As many of you know, John and Dottie Clemmer and their family have a long association with Wisconsin. John’s father was a Wisconsin native and when John and Dottie were married he connected with his ancestral home state when he began to spend vacations in the lovely town of Sheboygan, about 50 miles north of Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan. Much of John’s work in the latter half of his long career was inspired by the beauty of Sheboygan and its environs, specifically the neighborhood of Black River in the Town of Wilson, just south of Sheboygan proper, where Dottie’s family had maintained a summer cottage since the 1930s. John designed and built a studio for himself on the Black River property in the 1980s. As with his New Orleans studio, it was his special place. A space of refuge, contemplation and creativity.


The Kohler family also has a long connection with the state of Wisconsin. It has been the seat of the family business empire since the 1870s and the town of Kohler neighbors Sheboygan to the west. The Kohler family is a major employer and is hugely influential in Wisconsin business and politics. The Kohlers have done much to benefit the state. Ruth DeYoung Kohler is the driving force behind the John Michael Kohler Art Center, an exceptionally fine cultural resource well worthy of a city many times the size of Sheboygan. 988-acre Kohler-Andrae State Park, south of Black River, was formed in large part by a 1966 donation of land by the Kohler family. However, between the Black River neighborhood and Kohler-Andrae State Park, is a tract of virgin forest, wetland and beachfront that belongs to Herb Kohler, president and chairman of the Kohler Company. This beautiful 247-acre parcel is the focus of a battle between Mr. Kohler and the residents of Black River over Mr. Kohler’s ambitions to establish a golf course that would necessitate the clear-cutting of the Black River Forest. The proposed golf course would devastate a fragile ecosystem and utterly transform the nature of Black River, whose residents have treasured the neighborhood for its peace, quiet and beauty for generations.


In truth, the Black River Forest is Mr. Kohler’s property and America is a country that holds private property sacred. No one likes being told what they can and cannot do with what is theirs but there are larger concerns. There are environmental, economic, and, yes, even moral issues at stake here, the most basic of which boils down to something along the lines of ‘Is it right to sacrifice the common good for the benefit of the few?’ The Black River Forest is, without a doubt, a common good—not only for the residents of Black River but also for the abundant wildlife that makes its home there. If Mr. Kohler were to have his way this common good will be sacrificed, lost permanently and irrevocably. In response to this threat a grass roots organization has risen up to give voice to not only concerned citizens but the voiceless residents of the forest as well. Friends of the Black River Forest was established earlier this year and has been doing a fantastic job of organizing and making available the information about what the proposed golf course means to all of us, near and far.


Friends of the Black River Forest will be holding a series of events this fall. On Saturday, October 18, a fund raiser will be held at the home of Black River resident Mary Faydash. This event will feature a live auction in which one of John’s Black River-inspired works, Weeden Creek, of 2005, will be auctioned off along with works by family friends and Sheboygan residents Jim Michael and Jean and James Tobin. Weeden Creek is colored pencil on bristol board and measures 14 x 11 inches. It is signed, dated and framed and has a retail value of $2,000. If possible, we encourage you to attend the event or, if not, contact Mary and leave an absentee bid. The Clemmer family is passionately devoted to this cause and any support that you can offer to Friends of the Black River Forest will be very greatly appreciated.

Weeden Creek, 2005

July 31, 2014

Corner of the Studio, New Orleans, 7/14

July 22, 2014


Today would have been John’s 93rd birthday. We are all thinking of him on this day and we hope that you too will find a moment to remember John and his life and work.


The picture of John below was taken in his Sheboygan studio in October of last year. The painting that John is contemplating is one of two unfinished oils that he was working on at the time.

Sheboygan studio, October, 2013

June 11 ,2014


We are extremely pleased to announce that John’s work is now included in the collection of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans. Allison Kendrick, a family friend and collector, has donated an early and important example of John’s work to the Ogden. The painting is titled ‘Swamp Fire’ and dates to 1947 and John’s days as an instructor at the Art School of the Arts and Crafts Club of New Orleans.


The Clemmer family extends its gratitude to Allison for her most generous donation. Thanks as well to Ogden Curatorial Assistant/Preparator Gary Parky for supplying a hi-res image of ‘Swamp Fire’ as it currently appears on display at the museum.

Swamp Fire, 1947, 18 x 24 inches, watercolor and gouache on paper

May 12, 2014


It was a bittersweet weekend in New Orleans for the family and friends of John Clemmer.


A memorial service for John took place at the Touro Synagogue chapel early Friday afternoon with Rabbi Alexis Berk officiating. The space was filled to capacity with Clemmer and Landry family members, neighbors from the Carol Condominiums and Foucher Street, John’s fellow artists, friends, and former colleagues and students from Tulane University.


John’s longtime friend and School of Architecture colleague Milton Scheuermann had graciously offered to perform a musical tribute along with his New Orleans Musica da Camera co-director, Thaïs St. Julien. Milton performed on the recorder and hurdy gurdy and Thaïs sang a lovely setting of a poem by St. Francis of Asisi titled ‘Canticle of the Sun,’ composed in the year 1224. Milton related how in the early 1960s John had told him about a radio program that played ancient music. Milton’s resulting interest in ancient music led to the eventual founding of New Orleans Musica da Camera in 1966. Milton and Thaïs’s music was a beautiful and uplifting complement to the service.


John and Dottie’s dear friend John Ed Bradley eulogized John, reading a heartfelt tribute that recounted how they first came to meet and how much his friendship with John and his regular visits to the Laurel Street studio had meant to him over the past twelve years. John Ed was one of John’s most devoted friends and his words touched everyone deeply. David followed John Ed, relating anecdotes about his father, reminiscences of growing up in the home of an artist, and some thoughts regarding the merging of the individual with the infinite. A text requested by John, “Radical Amazement” by A.J. Herschel, was read by Rabbi Berk.


It was a truly lovely service—simple and beautiful, just as John would have have wanted it. Our profound thanks go to Rabbi Berk, Milton,Thaïs and John Ed for their contributions.

In the Audubon Clubhouse Café


Following the service family and friends all retired to the Audubon Clubhouse Café for a reception. Audubon Park was a very special place for John and Dottie. For over 30 years, starting in the early 1980s, they had walked in the park nearly every day that weather permitted. The Clubhouse Café was a perfect setting for the reception, with a large cool interior space and a wide veranda extending all the way around the building. Café manager Jan Greco and her staff provided excellent drink and food to the attendees and a toast was raised in John’s honor. The torrential rains that had been forecast for Friday held off until dusk when they finally arrived in full force, bringing to an end a day of reflection and fond memories of a long and eventful life, well-lived.

On the veranda at the Clubhouse


On Saturday night, Dottie, David, Jonathan and Michael were treated to dinner at Galatoire’s by Dottie’s former student, longtime family friend/physician, and man-about-town extraordinaire, Dr. Brobson Lutz. It was a rare treat to be in the French Quarter on a weekend evening and Brobson was a impeccably gracious host, guiding the meal most ably (no menus required, thank you), all the while being addressed by the Galatoire’s staff as “Doc.” Decked out in a lovely palm frond-patterned blazer with a yellow tie and white shirt and trousers, Brobson arrived and departed on his gleaming new Martone bicycle. John was toasted again and a lovely time was had by all.

Dottie and Brobson at Galatoire’s


The family weekend concluded on Sunday morning with Jonathan, Michael and David treating Dottie to a Mother’s Day brunch at La Petite Grocery on Magazine Street. Following the meal everyone headed back to the airport and flew off in their separate directions—Dottie to Wisconsin, David to New Mexico, Jonathan to Illinois and Michael to Michigan. Our thanks again to everyone who participated in John’s memorial service and reception. It was as close to perfect as could be, the only exception being the absence of John himself.

Brobson’s bicycle

April 25, 2014


Dottie and David traveled to Sheboygan on Friday, April 18, and attended services at Temple Beth El the following morning. That afternoon John and Dottie’s friends gathered at the Clemmer house on Wahgouly Road to honor John and raise a toast in his memory. Our dear friend Sue Patron was there to assist with the event and to serve up John and Dottie’s favorite drink, the Positano*, to the attendees. Thanks to all of our wonderful friends who joined us in Sheboygan on the 19th—it was a lovely and memorable afternoon in one of John’s favorite places.


The New Orleans Advocate published a piece about John on April 22—the link to the article is here.


*There are a number of variations on the Positano. This is essentially the recipe for the Positano that John and Dottie have enjoyed, but under another name.

John with Ivan Mandich at Brocato’s, New Orleans, January, 2012

April 16, 2014


The online Tulane School of Architecture News posted an obituary for John yesterday. The link to the site is here.

John’s drawing table, Laurel Street studio, May, 2008

April 13, 2014


For those who would like to make contributions in John’s memory Dottie offers the following recommendations:


For our Wisconsin friends Dottie suggests that donations be made to Blue Lake Public Radio. This was John’s favorite radio station and he listened to it in his Sheboygan studio every day.


For our New Orleans friends and family Dottie suggests contributions in John’s memory be made to the New Orleans Museum of Art and New Orleans Musica da Camera.


An obituary for John in the Sheboygan Press can be viewed here. His obituary on NOLA.com can be viewed here. The print version of John’s New Orleans obituary will appear in the Wednesday, April 16 issue of the Times Picayune.

Sheboygan studio, November, 2009

April 11, 2014


I am deeply sorry to report that John Clemmer passed away this morning, Friday, April 11, in Milwaukee. He was 92 years old.


Despite initial hopes that he would be able to recover from the stroke he suffered just over two weeks ago, complications eventually set in. On Tuesday, April 8, John was moved from Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital to the Jewish Home adjacent to the Chai Point apartment building where John and Dottie had been living since late November of last year. He was attended to by the nursing staff at the Jewish Home and by hospice providers and every measure was undertaken to ensure that he was comfortable and experiencing no pain. His daughter Trina and sons Jonathan and David were able to travel to Milwaukee to spend time with him.


Dottie and the rest of the family wish to express their thanks to all of the good people at Columbia St. Mary’s, the Jewish Home, Chai Point, and Horizon Hospice for all of their kind attention and support in these last weeks. They spared no effort to make certain that John received the very best care possible and we will be forever grateful. Our thanks go out as well to Karen Katz for her support.


The family is in process of scheduling memorials to be held in Sheboygan and later, most likely in early May, in New Orleans. Please check back here for further information.


Please take a moment to think of John and the wonderful life that he lived, the many lives that he touched, and the extraordinary legacy of art and beauty that he has left us. He was a great man and a great artist and his life was long, eventful and productive.


As before, any messages sent through this site will be immediately forwarded to the family.

John Clemmer, Foucher Street studio, 1962

March 29, 2014


There is some news for those of us who know and love John Clemmer, and I’m afraid it’s not the good kind. John suffered a stroke on the morning of March 26 at home in Milwaukee. Luckily, Dottie was close at hand and medical assistance was there within minutes. John was in the hospital less than 45 minutes later. His condition is good and his initial issues with speech and mobility have seen marked improvement over the past several days. He is up and moving about and we have high hopes for his recovery. Spring has finally begun to arrive in the upper Midwest and we very much hope that John will be back in his Sheboygan studio in the not too distant future.


The Clemmers thank everyone for their concern and support during this difficult time. If you email us through the contact page here on the website I will make sure that the messages get to John and Dottie.


 


February 14, 2014


The Clemmers are now back in Milwaukee after another whirlwind five-day trip. Escorted by son David, John and Dottie flew down to New Orleans on February 7 and once again took up residence across St. Charles Avenue from the Carol Condominiums at the Hotel Indigo. On the following afternoon an appreciative and attentive crowd gathered at the LeMieux Galleries on Julia Street for John’s walk-through of his exhibition ‘Nine Years Later.’ Also on hand was a film and sound crew directed by filmmaker David Zalkind. Equipped with a Steadicam-mounted high definition digital camera, David’s crew taped John’s hour-long discussion of his work and responses to questions from attendees. David has previously taped John at home and in his studio and has amassed several hours of material for a proposed documentary film. Please check back for updates on this project.


John and Dottie spent the rest of their time in New Orleans indulging in the local cuisine which they love so much, enjoying the balmy weather and visiting with friends and family. John and Dottie dined with Ivan Mandich on Saturday after the LeMieux Galleries event and spent much of Sunday at John’s Laurel Street studio visiting with John’s friend and longtime studio assistant, Frankie Organo. Son David continued with his ongoing inventory of John’s work, once again finding fascinating material tucked away in the studio. The Clemmers headed north again on Monday the 10th, narrowly missing yet another blast of arctic weather that descended over the mid South and the East Coast the following day.


In case you missed John’s interview with Diane Mack of WWNO radio, the link is still up on the station’s website (http://wwno.org/programs/inside-arts) and we are hopeful that a review of ‘Nine Years Later’ might appear in one of the local media resources (in such case, you will be able to find the links here). Son David took photographs of the February 8 event and you will find a selection below. John’s show has been extended through the end of February, so if you haven’t seen it yet there’s still two weeks yet to go.


The Clemmers once again extend their heartfelt thanks to Denise Berthiaume and Christy Wood of LeMieux Galleries for everything they have done to make John’s show a success and for making this special event a reality.

January 29, 2014


The last few months have been very busy ones for the Clemmer family. John and Dottie moved into their new apartment in Milwaukee just before Thanksgiving, 2013. Like any major transition, the move has not been without its stressful moments, but ultimately it has been a very beneficial one. Their corner apartment, much like their old condo in the Carol in New Orleans, has lovely upper floor views of the city as well as Lake Michigan (a body of water not typically visible from the Carol). The Chai Point staff have been very supportive and given the ferocity of winter weather this season it has been a blessing not to have to go out regularly in search of sustenance. Despite the snow and freezing temperatures, some of our wonderful neighbors from Sheboygan have made the drive down icy Interstate 43 to say hello and visit the Clemmer’s new home.


The big news is, of course, John’s show at the LeMieux Galleries in New Orleans. The opening took place on the afternoon and evening of January 4 and it was a very enjoyable event. The exhibition, titled ‘Nine Years Later,’ looked beautiful—Denise Berthiaume and Christy Wood did a fantastic job of arranging and installing the show and John was very pleased. Friends, family members, colleagues and former students turned out in force and there were more than a few faces that we had not seen in years. Mary and Sherman LaViolet came all the way from Sheboygan to be with us that evening—certainly the longest distance traveled by any attendee. It was a special pleasure to see Bishop Roger Morin, who made the drive from Biloxi to see the show and shake hands with John. It was truly gratifying to have such a strong turnout and the Clemmer family thanks everyone who came to Julia Street that evening.


Jonathan graciously took on paparazzo duties and a sampling of his photographs from the opening are below.


The latest news is that John and Dottie will be returning to New Orleans for a special event on the afternoon of Saturday, February 8. John will conduct a walk-through of his exhibition at LeMieux Galleries between 2:00 and 4:00 PM and the public is invited to attend. In advance of this event, John will be interviewed by Diane Mack of WWNO radio (89.9 FM). The interview will be broadcast on Diane’s show ‘Inside the Arts’ on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 4 and the morning of Thursday the 6th (here is a link to the WWNO website: http://wwno.org/programs/inside-arts). We hope that you will join us again on the 8th to celebrate John and his work. Please RSVP to LeMieux Galleries at 504-522-5988 if you expect to attend.

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