Clyde Reed Artist & Sculptor

Clyde Reed was born in Bernice, Louisiana and introduced to art as a child in the 1930's. His mother, Estelle, used to sit him on her knees while she drew sketches of chickens and hogs. Inspired by his rural upbringing and his mothers drawings, Clyde began sketching cowboys, horses, prehistoric animals and eventually, even automobiles. By eight years of age, the artistic seed had been planted and he began his journey of exploration and expression of his God-given talent.

Clydes's artistic talent took a turn in 1968 when Martin Luther King was assassinated. Deeply moved by the turmoil of the civil rights movement, he began drawing prominent political figures. His drawing of King — "Let Freedom Ring" — was published during the aftermath of the assassination.

Clyde found himself documenting the political climate around him through his drawings. Determined to capture the spirit of the times, he kept his eyes open and his brush in hand.

The Robert F. Kennedy assassination also had a profound impact on Clyde. He got his hands on a photograph of Kennedy and studied every line in his face — engaging in a tremendous amount of research in order to memorialize Kennedy's spirit. The result was astounding.

Utilizing graphite powder and Conté pencils, and working arduously for a year and a half, Clyde produced a moving depiction of Kennedy. He captured the physical characteristics of Kennedy such as no other artist has done: the chipped tooth that penetrated Kennedy's lip; the cleft in the chin; the two scars on each side of the cleft; and the penetrating eyes Kennedy inherited from his mother, Rose.

Clyde's drawing of Kennedy has won several awards, most notably First and Second Place at the Santa Monica City College competition in 1972.

Clyde continues to document history through his drawings. For more information, contact: Clyde Reed (310) 637-7321