updated April, 2009 

2008 was a quiet year for the Clemmers. They returned to New Orleans from Wisconsin just prior to the beginning of the year whereupon John resumed work in his studio. In April, he and Dottie were interviewed in the studio for a documentary film about the New Orleans Arts & Crafts Club. The film, commissioned by the Historic New Orleans Collection, premiered a year later (April 16, 2009) on public television station WYES. In the film, Dottie recalled the French Quarter of the late ‘40's and John reminisced in several segments about the role of the Arts & Crafts Club in the local art community. In addition to seeing their New Orleans friends, feasting on New Orleans seafood and attending their favorite Friends of Music concerts, Dottie and John were pleased to have son David pay a visit in early May during Jazz Fest. Later in the month John and Dottie hosted a private showing of John's recent work in their condo.

John and Dottie returned to Wisconsin on June 1st. They were met in Milwaukee by son Jonathan and friend Michael Barnes who helped them settle in. John’s 87th birthday was celebrated in July with family, friends and a grand lobster dinner at the annual Early Bird Rotary Club Lobster Boil. After having suffered for months from extreme drowsiness and lack of energy, John underwent a battery of medical exams in early summer and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. He has since been adjusting to the sleep aid devices used to control the condition. Despite a decrease in studio time, John was able to complete a large canvas and a series of drawings (available for viewing on the “New Work” page of this site).

Thanksgiving saw the traditional ingathering of family, from Michigan, New Mexico, Illinois and Tennessee. For the first time, Thanksgiving dinner was not home cooked but was enjoyed instead at the Sea Bird, a handsome local restaurant at the Blue Harbor resort on the shores of Lake Michigan in downtown Sheboygan. It was a great success with a bountiful buffet, excellent service—and no dishes to wash. The only drawback, of course, was no leftovers.

As in the previous year, the first real winter weather moved in on Thanksgiving weekend: son David noted that it began to snow at the very moment he left on the shuttle for the Milwaukee airport and it seems to have scarcely let up since. Within days, John could no longer get the temperature in his studio much above 40 degrees making further work impossible. The Clemmers made a quick decision to abandon their plan of staying until the end of the year and instead left for New Orleans on December 16th. The temperature sign atop the First National Bank building in downtown Sheboygan read 5 below zero that morning. Much to John and Dottie's relief it was in the 50's when they arrived in New Orleans. John is now back in his Laurel Street studio working on a large canvas of three female figures based on a drawing from one of his early sketchbooks. He is preparing to have the studio given a much-needed coat of paint, and looks forward to studio visits from his friends and po’ boy lunches from Barcia's—the family's beloved corner grocery store/sandwich shop.

With no summer travels except visits to Chicago and Milwaukee and no museums visits, by far the most exciting cultural event of the year was the belated discovery of the Metropolitan Opera's live broadcasts, which were thankfully offered at Sheboygan's one and only multiplex cinema. Since their return to New Orleans, Dottie and John have continued to attend the Met's offerings along with the 54th season of the Friends of Music. For those haven’t discovered the Met's high definition digital broadcasts, fathomevents.com is the magic link.

Catalogue/Video

Exhibition catalogues for “John Clemmer: Exploring the Medium, 1940-1999” are $25 (plus $4.50 for domestic shipping) and may be obtained by calling the New Orleans Museum of Art's Museum Shop (504/488-2631, Ext. 680), or by sending a check or money order to NOMA, PO Box 19123, NOLA 70179-0123. A limited number of copies of "John Clemmer: Sculpture," an 11.5 minute film documenting the artist's work in three-dimensional media, are also available through the Museum Shop for $10.95 (plus $2.50 for domestic shipping). You may also visit NOMA's web site.