George Merritt Clark

George Merritt Clark was born June 12, 1853 in Buffalo, NY. Although the exact records of his education are unknown, records available show that he studied under some of Buffalo’s most well-known artists of the time, including Lars Gustaf Sellstedt, founder of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy.[1] In 1873, Clark traveled throughout Europe, studying with noted artists, including Carolus-Duran in Paris.[2]

During his studies, Clark was influenced greatly by the tradition of the late English Victorian Era, and his work exhibited a thorough study of the most notable European watercolorists.[3] Clark worked frequently in oils, however his preferred medium was watercolor. His subject matter often depicted scenic views of the European countryside in both media, and the intricate differences in composition between his watercolor and oil works were evident:

“When painting in pure watercolor, his preferred medium, Clark would render these [cottages] in a soft light, creating a warm glowing effect which complemented the charm and aging patina of the buildings themselves. The soft, almost pastel, hues of the watercolors created a delicate feeling, even in his purely architectural paintings, such as ‘A Cottage Home’. Despite his preference for watercolors, Clark often painted similar scenes in oils. In these works, however, his palette changed to brighter, crisper colors, and his compositions were denser and more intricate, as in ‘The Old Mill’.”[4]

Clark’s painting style, traditional in nature, execution and subject matter, were a direct contrast to his free spirited, unconventional, and most notably bohemian lifestyle.[5]

In 1880, Clark returned to the United States, and lived along the Hudson River until 1886. During this time, he exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York City, as well as the Brooklyn Arts Association. Clark also exhibited with and was inducted into the American Watercolor Society.[6]

He returned to Buffalo in 1887 and began exhibiting regularly with the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy. He also became an integral part in the organization and founding of some of Buffalo’s notable artist associations. Clark assisted with the organization of the Buffalo Society of Artists in 1891, and a year later he founded the Bohemian Sketch Club.[7]  The Bohemian Sketch Club brought together many of Buffalo’s prominent artists, businessmen and intellectuals who had an appreciation for the group’s free spirit, bohemian nature, artistic awareness and intellectual stimulation.[8]

During this time, Clark lived in a houseboat on West Ferry, named “The Bohemian”; his free-spirited lifestyle reminiscent of the time he spent in the Paris Latin Quarter.[9] He also began exhibiting works depicting scenes of the Erie Canal, the Mohawk River, Nantucket and Port Maitland, Canada, in addition to his European works.[10]

In 1901, Clark moved to Franklin Street, near Tupper, where he converted a stable into his studio. He later turned his studio into a restaurant, providing patrons with both food and art. This attracted the art crowd, as well as visitors in town for the Pan-American Exposition.[11]

Clark moved to Southern California with his mother in 1902, citing the need for a restorative climate after a ten-year battle with consumption (tuberculosis). Clark died in Bostonia, California in 1904.[12]