 Although Donald Clapper grew up in the Northeast, home of many great American Still Life and Trompe l’Oeil Masters,
this coincidence did not influence his attraction to the world of art. After graduating from the University of Colorado
with a B.A. Degree in 1983, Clapper began a successful real estate career in Florida and his hobby interests at that time
were in competitive golf and skiing. Unbeknownst to him, an unplanned stop to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta,
Georgia in the late 1980’s became the momentum that drew him to Trompe l’Oeil and Classical Realism after he saw
an original William Harnett painting. He marveled at Harnett’s ability to create both unbelievable detail and illusionary
dimension and began a personal study on the Old Masters Dutch still life painters and on the American Trompe l’Oeil
School of painters of the late 1800’s, specifically, William M. Harnett, John Haberle and John Peto.
Clapper’s painting developed during the 1980-90’s while he lived and
worked in Gainesville, Florida. It was during this season, he developed his own techniques and proficiency as he applied the
Old Masters’ methods of indirect lighting, shadowing, glazing and multi dimensional affects to the canvas. . After a period of painting still life’s, Clapper completed
series of trompe l’oeil paintings that pays homage to the pioneers of American trompe l’oeil such
as Harnett and Peto. In 1994, he relocated to Arizona where he still abides and works in his Scottsdale studio. Clapper’s
study focused once again to the genre of trompe l’oeil including this time some modern day masters, namely Ken Davies,
Gary Erbe and David Brega. In April of 2002, Clapper
launched the International Guild of Realism, an exclusive group of today’s finest realist painters dedicated to the
genre of classical and contemporary realism. Clapper is also the president of the Trompe l’Oeil Society of Artists,
an exclusive group of today’s finest trompe l’oeil artists.. In 2009, Clapper created a new figurative style called “Dramatic Realism”. These new figure paintings
represent a new style that illuminates the figure in a different and exciting way with multiple light
sources and color splashes penetrating the composition. This dramatic colorful lighting creates drama and mystery
to the figure. This new style combines everything that the artist enjoys in quality painting such as dramatic lighting,
interesting composition, skillful technique and a unique blend of exciting color. These figure paintings by Clapper
are still executed in the same skillful and academic manner that Clapper has been recognized throughout the country for his
award winning and museum quality still life and trompe l'oeil paintings. Clapper’s work has received national as well as international recognition. He has received numerous
articles in such publications as International Artist Magazine, American Art Review, American Art Collector Magazine and Art
News. His work has been featured in many museums across the nation including The Phoenix Art Museum, The Woodson
Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin and The Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has exhibited in top level galleries
across the country in New York City, Dallas, Santa Fe, LA and Naples, FL.
ASTA - Goddes of Art Award 2012 American
Society of Traditional Artists
For "Modern X"
oil painting at the Annual ASTA Exhibition - Scottsdale Arizona |
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AFFILIATIONS . Trompe
l’Oeil Society of Artists -
President and Co-founder .
International Guild of Realism - Founding Charter Member . American Society of Traditional Artists (ASTA) – Honorary lifetime Member . Art Renewal Center – Awarded
the high designation of ARC Associate Living Master in 2012 . Oil Painters of America – Associate Member
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| Members of the Trompe L'Oeil Society of Artist which Don co-founded. Don third from left. |
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MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS .
Museum Exhibition The New Reality: The Frontier of Realism in the 21st Century April, 2008 through February 2011 Eleven City National Realism Guild Museum Tour .
Museum Exhibition Smith Kramer Fine Arts, Kansas
City, January,
2005 through July 2007 Twelve City National Trompe l’Oeil Museum Tour .
Museum Exhibition
Vero Beach Museum of Art, Florida, February 1, 2007 - May 6, 2007 .
Museum Exhibition
Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK October 2, 2004 - November 15, 2004 .
Museum Exhibition
The Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM June 6, 2003 through August 29, 2003 .
Museum Exhibition
The Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona March 10, 2003 through June 15 .
Museum Exhibition
The Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin April 5, 2003 through June 1, 2003 |
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GALLERY SHOWS Principle Gallery, Alexandria, Virginia Robert Lange Studios, Charleston, SC Jones
and Terwilliger Galleries, Carmel, CA Sage
Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, NM J. Willott Gallery, Palm Desert,
Ca. Scottsdale Fine Art, Scottsdale, Arizona Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York City, NY Klaudia Mar Gallery, Santa Fe, NM |
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| Don next to his painting at a Scottsdale gallery show in AZ. |
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PUBLICATIONS
Images Arizona Magazine, Four page article – February
2016 American Art Collector Magazine, Seven page article – September 2015 American Art Collector Magazine, Eight
page article – October 2011 American Art Collector Magazine, Six page article – February 2010 American Art Collector Magazine,
Six page article – January 2008 Art
News, New York Show Review – June 2003 American
Art Review, Six page article – April 2003 International
Artist Magazine, Seven page
feature article – August 2002 |
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| Donald Clapper with a new creation on his Hughes easel |
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| Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum - Panel discussion, Larry Charles, Eric Conklin and Donald Clapper. |
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