The only child of a prominent Mississippi family, Kate Freeman Clark negotiated the precarious balance between societal mores of the day and an undeniable talent. Escorted by her highly protective mother, Clark pursed advanced studies in New York, first at the Art Students League and then during summers at Shinnecock with William Merritt Chase. The charismatic Impressionist introduced Clark to painting en plein air, or out-of-doors, a technique evidenced in Summer Landscape. Utilizing brisk brushstrokes, Clark captures the verdant greenery and wispy blue clouds of a New England summer. The artist intermittently submitted her paintings for juried shows and influential exhibitions, signing her work as “Freeman Clark” to disguise her gender. Despite these successes, Clark never sold any of her work in deference to her mother, who strongly disapproved of ladies conducting business.
