watercolors
EXHIBITION
1995
Art has been a constant and lifelong passion for Walter Clements. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia and while at Morehouse College studied art under Hale Woodruff, a noted African-American painter. He recalls with pleasure participating in exhibitions sponsored by Atlanta University under Mr. Woodruff's leadership.
After Graduating from the University of Michigan Law School and practicing law for a while, a stint in Paris followed, ostensibly to write a novel. But the canvas still called and in the next few years he executed a series of oils that defined the enduring themes of his work: the landscape, human relationships and the making of music.
The landscapes, rarely representational in a traditional sense are very evocative. The perspective is generally flattened, the colors not quite real. But there is always an interesting interplay of color, form and texture. The oils are tick, the watercolors heavily varnished with oil texture.
His Lovers reflect a wide range of emotions from exhiliration and contentment to the hesitancy that accompanies both the beginning and end of relationships. They share food and music. For music is a communal activity in most of Clements paintings, apart from the audience, intent upon their performance.
No discussion of Clements' work would be complete without mention of two recurring motifs: the sun: usually bright red, anchors many of his landscapes, appears in some of the abstracts and even follows lovers. Its symbolism is evident but open to viewer's interpretation. Perhaps it is hope. The other is the hand: often inordinately large, strong, competent, cradling and sometimes caressing. A self portrait perhaps.
Clements' art is highly personal. A mostly joyous, often tender observation of the world. In the end, however, it is the "rightness" of the colors that startles: a bright yellow hill, the thin scarlet line delineating a jaw, dappled fruit. They beckon you for another look, to rediscover, be enchanted again.
