Institute for CLEW Studies (ICS) > Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020
Prattsville CLEW drawings, 8x10 inches each, graphite on paper, 2019/2020
In the summer of 2019, I was fortunate to spend time in Prattsville with a residency at the Prattsville Art Center and worked with the Zadock Pratt Museum to learn more about the history of the area. During this time, I met with Prattsville citizens who generously shared their family histories, stories, photographs, and memorabilia. During our meetings, I made notations on large family tree charts documenting their stories as the volunteers reminisced. (see ICS Prattsville Office Residency gallery for images of the "family tree" drawings) Based on their information, I created a series of graphite drawings illustrating a small sampling of the CLEWS that are connected to Prattsville. These small details are both particular to Prattsville and yet aren't geographically specific. Looking at these illustrations of the ordinary (ie a broom, sled, car, cow, etc) we all have associations with them – we see them as familiar and share the humanity of the small particulars.
In the summer of 2019, I was fortunate to spend time in Prattsville with a residency at the Prattsville Art Center and worked with the Zadock Pratt Museum to learn more about the history of the area. During this time, I met with Prattsville citizens who generously shared their family histories, stories, photographs, and memorabilia. During our meetings, I made notations on large family tree charts documenting their stories as the volunteers reminisced. (see ICS Prattsville Office Residency gallery for images of the "family tree" drawings) Based on their information, I created a series of graphite drawings illustrating a small sampling of the CLEWS that are connected to Prattsville. These small details are both particular to Prattsville and yet aren't geographically specific. Looking at these illustrations of the ordinary (ie a broom, sled, car, cow, etc) we all have associations with them – we see them as familiar and share the humanity of the small particulars.
click to watch a video of the Prattsville CLEWS
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/937.jpg?1702327720 "She (b. 1950s) likes to cook -- especially desserts. She makes shortcakes, poundcakes, eclairs. She learned to decorate cakes from a book: Wilton's Cake Decorating Book and used Wilton's cake decorating supplies. She remembers an 8th grade class trip to a bakery -- she loved the "crazy-8" doughnuts.")
She (b. 1950s) likes to cook -- especially desserts. She makes shortcakes, poundcakes, eclairs. She learned to decorate cakes from a book: Wilton's Cake Decorating Book and used Wilton's cake decorating supplies. She remembers an 8th grade class trip to a bakery -- she loved the "crazy-8" doughnuts.
She (b. 1920s) used to work hanging wallpaper. She also worked in a chair factory and as a chambermaid.
She (b. 1910s) had rickets and used a wheelchair. She had a special sink that accommodated her chair and when they did dishes together, her neice (b. 1940s) would dry. She was a great cook and a favorite family recipe was clam pie.
He (b. 1920s) was a great welder and could fix anything. Sometimes in the evening dinner with be interrupted by a knock at the door and someone would be there asking for welding help. His wife (b. 1920s) would be furious at the interruption but he would always help.
He (b. 1930s) was not very adept in the kitchen. When his wife (b. 1930s) left him tv dinners to make dinner for the children (b. 1950s) one evening, he put the meals in the oven, box and all.
When her (b. 1950s) mother (b. 1930s) was pregnant with her, she was reading True Story magazine and saw a name she liked, which is how her daughter got her name.
When he (b. 1940s) was in the 6th grade, his father (b. 1920s) was hired as a bricklayer in Florida. His parents took him out of school to drive down to Florida to look for a place to live. His mother didn't like all the palmetto bugs so they returned to New York.
She (b. 1910s) would have teas for her niece (b. 1940s) and taught her to take her tea without sugar.
When she (b. 1960s) was in her 20s she stopped for ice cream with her father (b. 1920s). Everyone was looking at the evening sky in anticipation of seeing the space shuttle. She feels lucky for that moment.
His (b. 1930s) great-grandmother (b. 1850s) would watch him sledding over the hill from the window. He once crashed the sled, hitting a tree. Even though he was over the hill and out of sight of his great-grandmother, she knew something was wrong when she noticed the tree shudder suddenly and called for help. His great-grandmother spoiled him: she would set up two chairs next to her rocking chair for him to lay across so she could rub his back while she rocked.
He (b. 1930s) worked as a bartender at the Waterfall House. His nephew (b. 1950s) would walk miles to the Waterfall House to see him and eat potato chips.
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/926.jpg?1702327594 "His father (b. 1930s) worked three jobs and his son (b. 1950s) said he would only see his father "through a lunchbox."")
His father (b. 1930s) worked three jobs and his son (b. 1950s) said he would only see his father "through a lunchbox."
When she (b. 1940s) was a child, her cousins would visit and the children would put on plays on the porch for the adults who would reward them with a nickel.
When he (b. 1930s) grew a beard, his children teased him saying he looked like a leprechaun.
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/923.jpg?1702327559 "His (b. 1940s) jaw was broken in two places when he was trampled by cows when he was holding them back with a board while trying to pen them. When he came to, the first thing he said was, "How did my coat get so dirty?" He had to go to two different emergency rooms to get care. Some forty years earlier, his favorite uncle (b. 1910s) also broke his jaw in two places when he was injured in car accident.")
His (b. 1940s) jaw was broken in two places when he was trampled by cows when he was holding them back with a board while trying to pen them. When he came to, the first thing he said was, "How did my coat get so dirty?" He had to go to two different emergency rooms to get care. Some forty years earlier, his favorite uncle (b. 1910s) also broke his jaw in two places when he was injured in car accident.
They (b. 1950s) called their grandfather (b. 1880s) PopEye. Chipmunks would eat out of his pocket. He used to tease the children by saying they would get drunk on ginger ale.
She (b. 1880s) was a robust woman who kept a beautiful house with lots of flowers in her yard and hanging plants on her porch.
Her (b. 1930s) grandmother (b. 1860s) used to say that she could beat the groundhog right out of his hole.
He (b. 1920s) drove for Greendell Meat Packing Company, where many in the area worked. They had a store on their premises where you could go in and buy meats.
She (b. 1920s) went to Katharine Gibbs School in Brooklyn and then worked for Texas Oil Company when it was headquartered in the Chrysler Building in Manhattan.
He (b. 1870s) was very strong and could carry 50 lb bags up the hill. He used to go fox hunting and would sell the pelts for extra money.
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/916.jpg?1702327484 "She (b. 1950s) would practice cutting hair on her dolls. Her grandmother (b. 1910s) was a talented seamstress and would make outfits for her dolls with matching hats to cover up the "haircuts".")
She (b. 1950s) would practice cutting hair on her dolls. Her grandmother (b. 1910s) was a talented seamstress and would make outfits for her dolls with matching hats to cover up the "haircuts".
He (b. 1920s) worked on car parts in his kitchen and kept a big refrigerator in the back yard. He owned a sawmill and had to keep dynamite in his car when he traveled. When he passed, they had to burn the sawmill but were careful because they knew about the dynamite.
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/914.jpg?1702327462 "He (b. 1920s) was always a prankster with a sense of humor. He once took his hired farm hand on a cattle buying trip and told the man to feel the cow's "utters". It turned out to be a bull! The farm hand stormed off saying he should've known because his boss had "been too good all day."")
He (b. 1920s) was always a prankster with a sense of humor. He once took his hired farm hand on a cattle buying trip and told the man to feel the cow's "utters". It turned out to be a bull! The farm hand stormed off saying he should've known because his boss had "been too good all day."
She (b. 1960s) was only 6 years old when her grandfather (b. 1890s) passed away. She remembers a summer day in the back yard when her grandfather was smoking a cigarette and she chased a butterfly.
He (b. 1880s) worked on road crews with the WPA but it was difficult because he had asthma. He used to play Euchre with his grandson (b. 1930s).
He (b. 1880s) wore a necktie every day and kept everything pristine. It was said that if people stopped to talk with him, he would start polishing their car.
She (b. 1890s) loved to drive her car. Her granddaughter (b. 1960s) remembers that she would always be wearing a dress and hike up her skirt when she stepped into the car. Her granddaughter does this also and thinks of her grandmother each time.
He (b. 1920s) brought his daughter (b. 1960s) a gift back from a trip to Florida: a red and white bowling bag piggy bank. It accidently fell off the bed and broke.
She (b. 1960s) was only 6 years old when her grandfather (b. 1890s) passed away. She remembers a summer day in the back yard when her grandfather was smoking a cigarette and she chased a butterfly.
![Clover Archer Prattsville CLEWS, 2019/2020](http://d3zr9vspdnjxi.cloudfront.net/artistInfo/cloverar/biggest/907.jpg?1702327381 "When he (b.1930s) was a child, his grandmother (b. 1880s) would chase him with a broom when he misbehaved. His pastor joked that "Trouble" was his middle name and when the pastor moved away, he sent letters back addressed to "Trouble."")
When he (b.1930s) was a child, his grandmother (b. 1880s) would chase him with a broom when he misbehaved. His pastor joked that "Trouble" was his middle name and when the pastor moved away, he sent letters back addressed to "Trouble."
In the 1960s, he (b. 1920s) bought a Beatles' wig at a yard sale.
She (b. 1940s) loves her birthday -- it is her special day.
He (b. 1920s) worked driving trucks for United Baking Company and would deliver bread and groceries on the mountain top.
She (b. 1910s) made the best homemade tomato soup. She used whole tomatoes --simmer, never boil -- and the secret ingredient was baking soda.
He (b. 1920s) loved April Fool's Day.
She (b. 1920s) took a cake decorating class and baked beautiful cakes, pies, rolls, and bread. When she passed, she left her baking pans--sheet pans, round pans, rectangle pans for layer cakes -- to her daughter (b. 1950s).
When she (b. 1950s) taught her daughter (b. 1970s) to bake a potato, she told her to make sure to use a fork to prick holes in the skin. Her daughter took this literally and baked the potato in the oven with the fork.
