Clarence Chatterton was born in 1880. He painted realistic scenes of small town America, mainly in New York State and New England. He studied at the Art Students League, Newburgh Academy and the New York School of Art from 1900-04. Chatterton worked primarily in watercolor and gouache, created pictures of sun drenched houses and blue skies, pollution free and innocent. Although he had limited geographical experience, Chatterton maintained his personal style as through the American pursuit of Abstraction. Chatterton lived in Newburgh, NY for 16 years, setting up his easel on the side of the street. He was also a professor at Vassar College from 1915-48, which was one of the first schools to offer a major course of study in figure drawing and painting. Chatterton provided chaperoned models that required special permission from the Board of Trustees. Chatterton had his first one-man show in 1916 and his retrospective was held in 1947 at Vassar, a year before he retired. Chatterton died in 1973.

Biography courtesy of The Caldwell Gallery, www.antiquesandfineart.com/caldwell