John Ward McClellan (1908 -1986) Mid-Century ORIG. ART; Watercolor Painting of Boats in a Lagoon; Signed lower right.

Size: 29 x 24 ASKart: Biography John Ward McClellanBiography from Woodstock Artists Association MuseumThe Woodstock Artists Association had a special sale of John McClellan's work in New York at the Associated American Artists in 1988. His works can be found in the Smithsonian Institute Museum of American Art, The Metropolitan Art Museum in New York as well as many other museums and private collections. John McClellan was born in London in 1908 to American parents, settled in Woodstock, NY in the late 1930's and proceeded to establish a national reputation, not only as an artist, but also as a sculptor, mathematician and entymologist.After receiving an early education in England, he entered prep school in the U.S. and later attended Yale University with the intention of becoming a doctor. In 1930, he transferred to the School of the Boston Museum, then in 1932 attended the Academie Julien in Paris, followed by working trips through France, Spain and Mexico. In Paris, he studied under Niclouse. After France, he became involved in the Spanish conflict, but was ordered to leave.Prior to World War II, he married Doris Dubow and they settled in Woodstock, where he had a studio and they raised two daughters. He spent much time in the period before the war in producing lithographs printed for him by George Miller of New York and later his son.During the war, prints were acquired by the Whitney Museum, the New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum which sent examples of McClellan's on exhibition at home and abroad.During the period before the war, McClellan had three one man shows in different galleries in New York City. He also had four prints in the Smithsonian Museum of Fine Arts and three prints in the Library of Congress.After the war, he worked as a draftsman, did writing and cartooning.McClellan continued to work in lithography and participated in the upsurge of interest in prints in the 1930's, 40's and 50's which resulted in many more museums, private collections and galleries.His career was deeply influenced by two incidents in his life - the horror he encountered in entering a concentration camp during World War II and his life long love of Spain and especially the poetry of Lorca.He passed away in 1986.

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