Born in Coshocton, Ohio, Benton Clark became an eastern illustrator of the West in the dramatic tradition of Frederic Remington and especially loved painting horses. He also did murals that are in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio.

Growing up in Coshocton, he had a picturesque rural setting of woods and valleys near the old Ohio Canal. A group of artists were working there, and one of them, Arthur Woelfle, gave Clark his first lessons and encouraged him to seek further training. Later Woelfle said that of all his students Clark was the most talented.

In 1913, he went to New York City to study at the National Academy of Design and in 1915 to Chicago at the Art Institute. He sold magazine cover and calendar illustrations and in 1925, began illustration work for "Liberty" and "Outer's Recreation" magazines. He also illustrated for "Saturday Evening Post" and had a period of working for Metro Goldwyn Mayer's art department in Culver City, California.

Major influences on him were Harvey Dunn, Frank Hoffman, and Frederic Remington, and in 1932, he became a member of the Society of Illustrators. In 1932, he returned to New York City and did western illustrations for leading magazines such as "Saturday Evening Post," "Mc Call's" and "Good Housekeeping,", a job that took him West for subject matter.

He shared a studio with his brother, Matt Clark, also a noted illustrator. He died in his hometown of Coshocton, preparing to do an historic mural for his high school.

Source:
Walt Reed, "The Illustrator in America"
Peggy and Harold Samuels, "Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West"

Benton Henderson Clark
Born: Coshocton, Ohio 1895
Died: Coshocton, Ohio 1964

Eastern illustrator of the West, painter

After taking drawing lessons from Arther Woelfle, Benton Clark went to New York City in 1913 to study at the National Academy of Design. About 1915, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, selling some illustrations while still a student. His influences were Harvey Dunn, Frank Hoffman, and Remington. After beginning work in the MGM art department in Culver City, California he moved to Chicago to work for advertising art studios. By 1925, Clark was illustrating for Liberty.

Clark returned to New York City in 1932, shared a studio with his brother Matt Clark, and painted illustrations for the leading magazines, The Saturday Evening Post, McCall's, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping. It was said that Clark made brief trips to the South and West for background material.

Resource: SAMUELS' Encyclopedia of ARTISTS of THE AMERICAN WEST,
Peggy and Harold Samuels, 1985, Castle Publishing

Benton H. Clark
(American, Coshocton, OH 1895-1964)
Painted 1 Mountie subject in 1943.

Benton Clark was born in Coshocton, Ohio, in 1895. As a boy, Clark came in to contact with Arthur Woefle, who gave him his first art lessons, and who encouraged the boy to continue in art. Clark enrolled at the National Academy of Design, and later at the Art Institute of Chicago, supporting himself as an illustrator as he studied.

Throughout his life, Clark's illustrative work was in great demand. He contributed to such magazines as Good Housekeeping, McCall's, and The Saturday Evening Post. In 1945 he produced an advertising illustration for Coca-Cola for use in Italy, titled "La Moda Americana (The American Way) - Have a Coke."

It is likely that Clark studied with J. Allen St. John at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he would have come to the attention of the producers of the Mountie advertising campaign.