clark ashton
 

 

Clark Ashton by Karen Enekel

  

 

Clark Ashton was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1958. He began welding in 1975, and worked as a welder until moving to Atlanta in 1978 where he toiled for wages.

He began creating metal sculpture in his backyard in1989 with no formal training in art. Meanwhile he earned a B.A. in Anthropology and followed with an M.F.A. in Sculpture at Georgia State University. He received Individual Artist Grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts in 1991 and 1994, and from the DeKalb Council for the Arts in 1992, 1995, and 1999. His work has been displayed in numerous regional and national exhibitions.

He maintains a studio and sculpture garden at his Mechanical Riverfront Kingdom on Druid Hill in Decatur, GA containing The Commuter Gallery, where he serves as Mass Minister of The Sweet Holy Church of the Everlovin' eelMAN, manufactures psychic unity, and exhibits the monumental works Boundary, Faith in Industry, The Infrastructure of an Uncertain Future, The Bateman 5000, The Battle of Druid Hill, & The Ascension Machine among hundreds of other works.

Ashton has taught sculpture at The Georgia Institute of Technology, The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and The State University of West Georgia. His work also includes painting, video, and performance elements.

In addition to visual art, Ashton performs locally with his roots-oriented band The BooHoo Ramblers which has released 2 CDs . He has also self-published a book, It’s Later than You Think, dedicated to his artwork and associated theories. His work has been featured numerous times in Art Papers, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Creative Loafing as well as on several local news programs and The CBS Sunday Morning Show.

His documentary "Mechanical Riverfront Kingdom" premiered at DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival in 2015.

 

        

 

                 

Sky Saw by Mary Anne Mitchell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
         

                                             SELECTED ARTICLES AND REVIEWS

Samantha Mooney (Feature). "In The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness: Clark Ashton's Druid Hill"

              The DeKalb History Center,   November 14, 2018 (Reproduction).

Thomas Wheatley (Feature). Clark Ashton has a metal-art museum in hiy yard: The Mechanical Riverfront Kingdom on Druid Hill"Atlanta Magazine,   June 8, 2018 Page 20 (Reproduction).

Bill Torpy (Column). "'Druid Hill' an idea- and fighting words"

              The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,   December 18, 2017 Section B Pages B1-2 (Reproduction).

Jerry Cullum, (Chapter 17) Exhibiting Outsider Art, Outsider Art in the 21st Century

             Religion: Material Religion, Macmillan Interdiciplinary Handbooks, pp. 254-255, 2016.
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Donna Mintz, Clark Ashton: Shouting to the Hard of Hearing

             ArtsATL, February 3, 2016(Reproduction).
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Mark Davis (Feature). Water heater fueled artwork

              The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,   December 17, 2013 (Reproduction).
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Dean Hesse, (Review). “Clark Ashton's Commuter Gallery”

               Decatur Dispatch, June 2011 (Reproduction)
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Niels Ruben Ravnaas (Feature). Prislapp: 65 millioner

Denne saere eiendommen er stappfull av kunstverk, og kan bli din for 65 millioner. Se bildene.

NA24, May 2006. (cover Reproduction).
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Jerry Cullum (Feature). “The Man Outside: Or, the New Face(s) of Grassroots Environments”

              Art Papers,   March/April 2003. pp.28-33. (cover Reproduction).
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Catherine Fox, (Review). “A vocabulary that foretells uncertainty”

               The Atlanta Journal & Constitution, October 11, 2002. (Reproduction).
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Felicia Feaster, (Review). “Man of Steel: Metal sculptor debuts subversive masterwork”

               Creative Loafing, September 24, 2002
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Stell Simonton, (Review). “Sculptures overlook 'mechanical river'”

               The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 5, 2001. (Reproduction).
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Kelly Issacs Baker, (Feature). “Sculpture on display in Piqua”

               Dayton Daily News, April 20,1999. (Reproduction).
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Randall Oliver, (Review). “The Industrial Spirit”

               Troy Daily Press, April 13, 1999. (Reproduction).
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Rebecca Dimling Cochran,(Feature).“Studio Visit with Clark Ashton”

               Art Papers, July/August 1998. (Reproduction).
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Jerry Cullum,(Review) “ ‘Gears’ takes oblique look at the future”

               The Atlanta Journal & Constitution, May 22, 1998.(Reproduction)
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The Associated Press, “Artist’s rush hour ritual attempts to connect with commuters”

               Gwinett Daily Post, March 5,1998, (Reproduction).
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T.J. Becker, (Feature). “New Vision for Tech?”

               Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine, Winter 1998, (Reproduction).
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Amy Laughinghouse, (Review). “Earth to Clark”

               Atlanta Magazine. February 1998. (Reproduction)
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Cathy Byrd, (Review). "Accent Nexus"

               Creative Loafing, April 19,1997
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Jerry Cullum, (Review). “1997 Atlanta Biennial”

               Art Papers, July/August 1997.
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David A. Moore, (Review) "Another Roadside Attraction, Clark Ashton's yard of metal"

               Creative Loafing, August 17, 1996. (Reproduction).
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AJC staff (News). “12 decorative posts outline pocket park”

              The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,   March 8, 1996 (Reproduction).
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Mark Hinson, (Review) "Tallahassee art scene is up and running"

               Tallahassee Democrat, September, 1995.
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Staff, (News). "Sculpture by Alumnus Ashton finds home on Central Campus"

               DeKalb College Chronicle, Spring 1995. (Reproduction cover).
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James R. Nelson, (Review). "Show of Clark Ashton's Sculpture Recommended Without Reservation"

               The Birmingham News May, 1995.
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Wendy Malloy, (Review). "Bang Your Head"

               Creative Loafing, May 6 1995.(Reproduction).
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Jerry Cullum, (Review). "Less is more in King Plow sculpture exhibit"

               The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, May, 1994.
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Catherine Fox, (Review). "Local Sculptor hammers home his serious points"

               The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, August 1994.(Reproduction).
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Maureen Downey, (Review). "Peach Buzz"

               The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, January 9, 1994.(Reproduction).
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Doug Monroe, (Column). "Sculptor reopens his 'Commuter Gallery'"

               The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, August 1994. (Reproduction).
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Beth Hill, (Review). “Clark Ashton: Artist Profile”

               GSU Signal, April 20, 1993 (Reproduction).
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Bill Alexander, (Review). "Clark Ashton"

               Art Papers, Vol. 16 No. 4, July/August,1992. (Reproduction).
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Dottie Coltrane, (Review). "Messages in Metal"

               DeKalb College Chronicle, Winter/Spring 1993. (Reproduction cover).
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Catherine Fox, "Art Screams, Shouts at the Earth Factory,"

               The Atlanta Journal & Constitution, October, 1990. (Reproduction).
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SELECTED BROADCAST REVIEW

Myke Johns, (Audio Interview). “The Iron Sculptor”

               WABE 90.1 FM National Public Radio, April 2013.
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Myke Johns, (Audio Interview). "Clark Ashton on Atlanta Sounds"

               WABE 90.1 FM National Public Radio, November 2008.
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CBS Network, NY,NY., Bill Geist. 10/1/2000. CBS Sunday Morning,. 3 min.Pkg.


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WXIA Channel 11 Atlanta, David de Medicis. Sept.14, 1997. 2 min. Pkg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AaR3uFMZJo
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WAGA Channel 5 Atlanta, Melissa Sander.Dec.1,1997

Good Day Atlanta,   LIVE from The Commuter Gallery.

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WAGA Channel 5 Atlanta, Melissa Sander. Fox at Five evening news, 2 min.Pkg.
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WGNX Channel 46 Atlanta, Aug.19, 1994 VOSB-1 min.