I have a question or two.....some time ago I saw a hardbound copy of a short story collection, I believe by Stephen King, that had a closeup picture of a CAS sculpture I've never seen before on the dust jacket. Sorry, can't remember even if a title was credited inside for it other than being by CAS. Having owned my copy of Fantastic Art since it first came out, I immediately knew who the artist was before confirming it when I looked inside this book.
How many more sculptures have survived that the public has never seen before? I know they still exist having heard of sales in years past. Wouldn't it be nice to see another pictorial collection of CAS's physical art except this time in color? I will admit feeling a bit cheated over the years, reading of his use of color and fabric pattern and only seeing a black and white picture of his paintings. Maybe this is already someone's project in progress?
I know about the resin cast copies of the Werewolf but would like to see other offerings in the same line. But the big question is, who has possession of the surviving scultures, paintings, drawings and sketches and would they lend their aid to such a project?

Any answers, folks?

Cant say I know about the king cover, I would rather read the motherboard manual (Japanese version) than king.

> Wouldn't it be nice to see another pictorial collection of CAS's physical art except this time in color?

Yes.

> Maybe this is already someone's project in progress?

Not to my knowledge.

>who has possession of the surviving sculptures, paintings, drawings and sketches and would they lend their aid to such a project?

Lots of people, me included, I'm sure we would all be happy to give access but t would be a large broad project with little, if any, profit.

I am and do add more images of sculpture and paintings to the site as they come my way.

Boyd:-P

I believe the book you are referring to is called "Feast of Fear"; Conversations with Steven King, Underwood-Miller 1989. I have one of the dust jackets, but no book. Don Herron gave me the jacket many years ago because of the great cover which features one of Don's sculptures. The sculptures and other art are scattered among various fans and writers who either bought them second hand, or inherited them from those who knew CAS. I forget the name of this particular sculpture, but I'm sure Don would know; it is an incredibly fine piece of art.
Have you seen "One Hundred Years of Klarkash-Ton"? This booklet contains the essays, poetry and memoirs read at the CAS centennial conference held at the Auburn Library in 1993. It includes two pages of color photos of several sculptures and one fine watercolor titled Hyperborea. To my knowledge these are the only examples of CAS art available in color.
Hope this helps
-Ron

Later this week I'll photograph my Smith stuff and submit it to Boyd. I have one of the black fabric paintings, and some sculpture that perhaps people would like to see.

Derrick

Sounds like quite the collection. Would love to get my hands on a sculpture one day, although I do realize the prices are likely to be prohibitive. Is there any dealer that handles CAS artwork/sculpture? I've never seen a sculpture come up on ebay and only occasionally artwork.

Nice job on Black Diamonds, by the way, Derrick. Will probably read it next weekend.

I have just finished reading Smith´s uncompleted story The Infernal Star. I think it is excellent!, and captures the essence of C.A.Smith, Smith the star-treader. It contains some very fine and ecstatic writing, and has one of the best (if not the best) psychological transformations I have seen. And the concept of sun particles hitting us from distant stars, and subtly affecting us, is beautiful. I muse over the possibility of truth in this philosophy.

I´d like to make a few comments about Clark Ashton´s visual art. It is often criticised for lacking technical expertise, and being childish. In some aspects I agree with this. It shows most clearly where he makes a naturalistic approach, like in his portraits; here can be seen a certain lack of anatomical knowledge. But on the other hand some of his landscape paintings for example have a fine sense of composition and clarity of forms. Most important however, as Lovecraft also noted, his art has flavour of the weird and outre (Avalzant :-O). And it is imaginitively uninhibited (Racornee :-))).
Personally I find his sculptures very interesting. I think he is a very good sculptor. He understands the essence of sculpture, namely the placing together of different masses into a dynamic and harmonic whole. Other sculptors´ work showing naturalistic objects may seem more impressive at a first glance, but compared Smith´s sculptures theirs can often be very flat. His sculptures also invite that aesthetic experience that so importantly belongs to sculpture: tactile sensation, the holding and fondling of an object. Sight and touch, in combination, gives a deeper aesthetic experience.

I live in England and there is not such a popular interest in the works of Clark Aston Smith, as there is in the USA. Therefore, it is difficult to buy any sculptures here. Please let me know if you readers have found any CAS sculptures in England? Or indeed, any of his paintings for sale in my country.

I would love to see CAS artwork combined into one or two nice volumes. It would also be nice to see a huge omnibus of his short stories that included everything he ever did. I own the weird flower drawing by CAS and would also love to hear of any one selling the sculptures or other artwork. I also just bought a Hannes bok peice from Ebay for a steal and can't wait to frame it. I think some of CAS paintings are somewhat primitive but never the less extrodinary. I practicly had to take out a second mortage to pay for the flower drawing. So I would imagine that if a sculpture surfaced it would be very expensive. I wish they could all be housed at one place where peopl especially kids could see them. I do know one man that has one sculpture and many drawinf. original holographs of his stories, paintings and some really great pictures he took of CAS when he went and met him years ago in Auburn. I am really glad to see what seems like a recent renewal in CAS.
It's two bad Arkham house never really seemed to have an intrest in collecting the diffrent art and such of their writers. I think it would be coool if they had an old spooky musuem with all the strange artifacts from their great list of writers for people to see.
I wonder who owns Arkham house publications

Maeterlinck

maeterlinck Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
[snippage]
> I do know one man that has one
> sculpture and many drawinf. original holographs of
> his stories, paintings and some really great
> pictures he took of CAS when he went and met him
> years ago in Auburn.
>
> Maeterlinck

[snippage]
Please contact me offlist regarding this. Do you live in the Los Angeles area perchance? Thanks--Scott

I just moved back from Los Angeles and the guy who owns all that great stuff does live in Los Angeles.

As Stephen King wrote a werewolf film script some time ago, called "Silver Bullet" - I guess that this is the reason why a sculpture of one of these creatures was included. From what I can remember, the film was a comedy horror. Ron reckons that the book may have been "Feast of Fear". One of us must be right! Anyway, I think it is a shame that CAS sculptures are not more appreciated in England. I had not even scene pictures of his sculptures, until I looked on this excellent website.

Julian L Hawksworth

I have FEAST OF FEAR right here, and sho'nuff, there's one of CAS's carvings.

Best,
Scott

Then I think I know him. Hip, hip, hu-RAH!

Scott

Thats him,