Born Into the World of ART

Jeffrey Cloar Ziegenhorn has always been surrounded by art as his father is a maker and his mother is an artist. He was raised in a loving family that taught and modeled appreciation of arts, creativity, diversity, and respecting different points of view. His artistic ability did not start with his parents. He comes from generations of artists and makers. The most famous is his great uncle, Carroll Cloar. Carroll was Jeff’s mother’s uncle on her father’s side, the Cloar family. Carroll and Jeff’s grandfather were about the same age and enjoyed spending family time together. Jeff’s fondest memories include Carroll’s July 4th pool parties and his windup fish pool toy. At the family Thanksgiving dinners and Easter Sunday lunches, Carroll would share stories and end them with a punchline that drew laughs from the family. When Jeff was about 10 years old, he showed his personal sketch book of comic style sketches to Uncle Carroll. Carroll was nice and complimentary but his one-sentence advice stuck with Jeff, “Draw from reality.” He was saying to draw what you see. Jeff heard this same teaching from his college art professors. When you look at Jeff’s art, you not only see what is possible in your world, but you can appreciate what is possible in Jeff’s mind’s world! 

Find out more about Carroll Cloar at websites like the ones noted below.

https://memphismagazine.com/culture/the-art-and-life-of-carroll-cloar/

https://www.davidluskgallery.com/artists/carroll.cloar.estate

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/carroll-james-cloar-453/

Fun fact, if you see a little blonde girl in a Carroll Cloar painting, it is most likely Jeff’s mother.