by Glen R. Blackwood | RGS & AWS Regional Director of Development – Lower Peninsula/Eastern U.P. of Michigan & Indiana
“The Sporting Art of C.D. Clarke”
Hardbound
Forward by Nick Lyons
Introduction by John Gierach
Retail Price $85
Published by Stackpole Books
Sunday morning. There’s a chill in the air, similar to September, and the lawn was saturated by the night’s heavy dew. These conditions came to me as a shocking surprise as I let my trio of spaniels out to clear themselves, wearing a t-shirt, exercise shorts and slippers. The dogs also seemed surprised by the temperature. It’s June and it was more than 80 degrees and dry last night. As the dogs stretched and tended to their morning needs, my wool slippers sopped up every drop of condensation they could absorb and a brisk breeze cut through the cotton cloth. Though my body shivered and my feet were wet, the morning’s light was divine, facing east, as I watched the day moved from gray towards bright. Back in the house, I shed my slippers, fed the dogs, swaddled myself in a blanket and sat down in my reading chair. With the dawn’s breaking and morning memories etched in my mind, I opened “The Sporting Art of C.D. Clarke,” a book that’s pages exemplify light in the sporting world, utilizing the mediums of watercolor and oil.
Published by Stackpole Books in 2023, this coffee-table formatted book contains 200 images of original paintings along with descriptions of each and currently retails for $85. C. D. Clarke is a classically trained artist holding a degree in fine art from Syracuse University, as a dual major in painting and illustration. Attending at a time when the art world was gravitating toward abstracts and sculptures, he forged his own path in the world of landscapes and field sports. Upon graduation, he moved to Maryland’s eastern shore where he, like many a starving artist, worked part-time jobs that allowed him to continue to paint and hone his craft. The eastern shore’s countryside provided him with a wide variety of subject matter to explore. Most importantly, it provided a landscape of light, water and the outdoors that became the foundation of his signature style, which has allowed him to hunt, fish and paint around the globe.
The book’s chapter titled, My Process, I found particularly fascinating as this isn’t just a book of sporting images, but an insight into the artist’s psyche. He writes, “Working from life has always been my foundation of my painting.”
As an En Plein Air (the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view) painter, his inspiration begins in the field as a pencil sketch, followed by a painted study outdoors with the exception of his dog portraits. He writes, “… But photos are rarely the primary inspiration for a painting. The one exception is for the portraits of dogs, who are constantly impossible to coerce into holding a pose.”
This quote exhibits both his humor and his deep understanding of gundogs and their behaviors. The book contains delightful dog portraits that capture the essence of each study’s persona. He’s a consummate gundog owner as is his wife, Tracey, and their current duo of Brittney spaniels.
The book is divided into two categories: angling and hunting. The hunting scenes are leveraged more toward southern climates and waterfowl than grouse and woodcock coverts, but the painting, It’s Up to You Now Boss, resonates of an October day in one’s best cover.
This book carried me away from a chilly, wet morning. The artist’s images warmed me better than my blanket as his understanding and painting of landscapes and light placed me in a sporting scene, far removed from my reading chair. I found myself in scenes within the outdoors where light and landscape resonated with the moment’s mood. The instant of the quivering drooping lip of a spaniel is captured as is an English setter’s soft, yet driven, eyes.
“The Sporting Art of C.D. Clarke” is much deeper than just a book of paintings. It’s a story of sporting days, told primarily through paint.
Author’s Note:
C.D. Clark is a long-time supporter of RGS & AWS. He’s donated his works to the mission of the organization throughout his career. He’s also a friend. I’ve been privileged to stride behind his dogs in search of ruffed grouse and woodcock.
Glen R. Blackwood is a director of development for RGS & AWS. He’s a student of the sporting life and literature, focusing primarily on wild birds and trout. He resides in Rockford, Michigan, with his accommodating wife, Kathleen and trio of English cocker spaniels.
