Meyer Fine Art, San Diego Exhibits Work by Clay Walker: 'Beyond Traditional Boundaries'

Meyer Fine Art, San Diego

Clay Walker: ‘Beyond Traditional Boundaries’

Article by Cathy Breslaw

‘Beyond Traditional Boundaries’ is a solo exhibition of the work of deceased artist, Clay Walker.  Other than a few group exhibitions, Walker’s work has not been shown since the 1970’s.  His work was brought to the attention of art dealer Perry Meyer by Walker’s wife Muriel after his death in 2008.  Walker’s over 50 years worth of art-making reveal an artist who mastered many mediums including painting, sculpture, paper making and mixed media. He was most noted for his printmaking works – woodcuts and glass prints.  His work reflects the diversity of the mid-twentieth century aesthetic – showing an influence of Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, Neo-Expressionism and Contemporary Realism. His work is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and Walker had friendships with Picasso, and Andy Warhol.  After the 1970’s Walker abruptly stopped exhibiting his work but continued to be a prolific artist, creating hundreds of art pieces. Upon viewing the vast and differing styles of the work he created, much of his color palette and mark-making reflects his Seminole and Cherokee Native American  heritage.  Earthen hues of reds, browns and golds, and symbolically created shapes are sprinkled through the large and small scale paintings on canvas, works on paper and sculpture.  Walker’s figurative works bear a strong relationship to Cubism while a large metal sculptural work is reminiscent of Rauchenberg’s ‘Combine’ pieces. Clay Walker’s work has been shown in over 200 exhibitions but a curiosity remains as to his decision to work ‘under the radar’ in the art world after having enjoyed a significant presence for many years.  This retrospective exhibition at Meyer Fine Art is an opportunity to peer into the world of Clay Walker’s ideas, thoughts and imagination and into the creative process of an artist who obviously loved his craft.

The Social Significance of Our Component Parts   oils   32" x 40" 1947

  Enter Not   woodblock print 19 1/2" x 23 1/2"  1950-1952