clay walker

At the last ModSwap, I was lucky enough to discover Perry Meyer and his wonderful collection of fine art. Within the bin of prints that he was selling were a few woodcuts by Clay Walker. I am no art critic, but I can say that I fell in love with his modernist woodcuts. So while you are at the ModSwap, make sure to visit the Perry Meyer gallery directly across the street and check out the massive collection of Clay Walker prints, paintings and sculptures they have there. So who was Clay Walker? From a brochure I picked up at the Perry Meyer gallery:

Clay Walker was born in 1924 in Kentucky. His father was a sign painter and artist. Clay’s interest in art began at the age of three when he took his father’s paints and brushes and painted the barn door. During his school years he continued his art endeavors and education.While serving in the Army during World War II, he always had a sketchbook with him. In1944, when he was sent to England to recuperate from a wartime wound, he met and married Muriel.Upon his return to the states, he designed and built homes, while his artwork started to sell in galleries. His obsession to study art led him to attain a college degree with a major in painting and a minor in art history. Teaching art, at private schools and colleges, both in the US and internationally, became the next rewarding experience in his art career.In 1955 the Walkers ventured back to England and then Paris, where Clay studied at the Ecole De Beaux Artes. It was during this time that he met Picasso; later he was part of an exhibition in Michigan with Picasso, Warhol and other notable artists.Returning to the US in the early 1960’s, he became the director of the San Antonio Art Institute, Texas. In 1963 Clay moved to California, where he built a house with an art studio.It was here that he and Muriel began their family while Clay was teaching art at several colleges. This was the beginning of his reclusive period.In 1968 Clay moved his family to Escondido, where he designed and built his final house and studio. This house incorporated a huge sculpture in the pool area, influenced by Clay’s Seminole and Cherokee heritage. Art is present all over the house, from the enameled cabinet knobs to the huge paintings and mixed media prints that grace the walls. He remained reclusive, spending the majority of his time in the studio and with family, mixed in with an occasional game of golf.Clay Walker died in March 2008.‘He did not leave this world without contributing a great deal to its beauty. He left an abundance of art which can be shared with all who recognize his talent…’ – Muriel Walker.

For more info check out the Perry Meyer website.

Note: The collection online represents a very wide range of Clay Walker's art. Be sure to visit the gallery in person to view the many modernist prints available.