Ruby Lee Clark’s roots go back to the beginnings of Fredericksburg — her great-great-grandfather came over on the first boat.
She always wanted to be an artist, but when she was growing up, art wasn’t even taught in the schools. But the town now embraces art, in part through through Die Künstler von Fredericksburg (or DK for short), which Clark helped establish 26 years ago.
“I can remember before tourists really started coming to Fredericksburg, the hunters would come, and their wives were our tourists,” she said.
Clark, who serves as DK’s board president, says Fredericksburg’s art scene began when John McClusky established an art group that became Fredericksburg Art Guild. Clark studied oil painting with McClusky for 24 years.
“He encouraged us to paint what we know rather than to follow the market. He said you have to have a pitter-patter about something,” she said, recalling a local scene she was inspired to paint. “One time, I went to the Catholic cemetery when the bluebonnets were there, covering these really old children’s graves. They were pretty much abandoned. I thought, ‘No one’s bringing them flowers,’ and they were covered with bluebonnets.”
DK grew out of a group of eight people from the guild who eventually wanted to explore other artistic media and methods. They contacted the Texas Commission on the Arts and created a nonprofit. DK keeps its dues low, just $30 per month. Its primary goal is education.
“We help people get better all the time. Even if you’re good, you can always learn,” Clark said.
From its first meetings, DK offered demonstrations by professional artists, including Charles Beckendorf, Mark Haworth and others. Sometimes it coordinates with a local gallery that is bringing in an artist for First Friday Art Walk.
DK meets for two hours the first Thursday of every month at the Hill Country University Center, and anyone can attend. It also maintains a library of about 500 art instruction videos that can be rented by members at no charge. The videos are also available for local high school art students.
Looking to the future, Clark hopes to attract more young artists, which is one reason it donates art supplies each year to nearby Harper Independent School District.