Admirers of Clark Ashton Smith should be aware that there was a burglary at the home of William A. Dorman, Smith's stepson and literary executor. Among the items stolen was a safe containing 16 pieces of artwork by Clark Ashton Smith that Mr. Dorman recently found while searching through some boxes of his mother's belongings. They ranged in size from 5 1/4" X 6 1/2" to 9"X11. Some are done in crayon, some in pen and ink, most in what appears to be water color. They are unframed. Most are dated (earliest 1917, the others from the 1920s). Most bear his distinctive initials. If anyone is offered any CAS artwork for sale, or if anyone sees any offered for sale on such venues as eBay, please notify me immediately via email.
Thank you.
Scott Connors

BOYD: if you can copy this and post it on the home page in a box, Bill and I would both be very grateful.

Does anyone know if the safe was the target or if it was just random find as part of a burglery?

Seems odd a criminal would know the value of such.

It was probably random, more's the pity. The odds are that the burglars threw the artwork into the nearest dumpster, but I'm spreading the word on the chance that they just might figure out "Hey, if this dude put these in the safe, they might be worth something" and try to sell them somewhere. It's a bit of a forlorn hope, but it's the only chance we have.
We saw Bill and Sarah this Sunday, and we all had a great time.

Scott

As much as i like CAS much of his art work looks like its done by an eight year old. Unless it was the target (unlikely) any thief would probably just chuck it (argg). Next time scan it all first.

I'm with Boyd on this one. CAS's sculptures are pretty intriguing as examples of a kind of neo-pre-Colombian (there's a mouthful) style. But the drawings, while mildly atmospheric, have nowhere near the impact of his stories. They're personal enough and sufficiently otherworldly to resemble "outsider art" but overall seem primitive, and not in the good way! The landscape paintings I find a little more interesting, but again they're ultimately nothing special.

I remember being surprised at Lovecraft's enthusiasm for Smith's quite crude drawings illustrating an HPL story ("The Lurking Fear" in Home Brew, I think). I suspect it was HPL's kindliness and friendship, rather than hia true aesthetic judgment, that prompted the praise. John Vetter has some interesting comments on this artwork in his article "Lovecraft's Illustrators" in The Dark Brotherhood.

I believe it would be hard for anyone who didn't know the artist's identity to connect Smith's art, particularly the drawings, with his incomparable fiction.

I'm not saying I disagree with you guys, 'cause I don't. Still, it royally pisses me off to have some lowlifes rip off Bill so casually. I'd like to give them a free one-way vacation on a tropical island resort: Uccastrog.

Of course, I also hear that Yondo is very lovely this time of year....

Scott

I think Yondo's too good for this one. I'd suggest a sojourn in Zul-Bha-Sair; the priests there are supposed to be very accommodating. Also, I understand the Isle of the Torturers is a charming spot these days...

garymorris Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I remember being surprised at Lovecraft's
> enthusiasm for Smith's quite crude drawings
> illustrating an HPL story ("The Lurking Fear" in
> Home Brew, I think). I suspect it was HPL's
> kindliness and friendship, rather than hia true
> aesthetic judgment, that prompted the praise. John
> Vetter has some interesting comments on this
> artwork in his article "Lovecraft's Illustrators"
> in The Dark Brotherhood.

I don't think HPL's enthusiasm for Smith's artwork (in general, at any rate) can be explained as mere courtesy, as his recommendation of it appears sincere. This evaluation in a letter to Henry Kuttner (May 18, 1936) may illuminate the matter:

"...these small specimens do not represent the artist at his best. CAS is weak on perspective & the human figure, but strong on utter strangeness as expressed in grotesque heads & morbid, non-terrestial vegetation."

Juha-Matti Rajala