Chief among their disorderly ranks locally is the inimitable Turk Le Clair. You won't, of course, find him next to Hugh Codding on official lists of the 50 most influential people in Sonoma County. But the artist, poet, and adventurer is something of a legend in Santa Rosa, where he has lived for two decades and where stories of his colorful exploits are common currency. Now, at age 64 and in failing health, Le Clair is giving us his own version of his life in My Life in Art . It tracks his adventures from New York to San Francisco to the legendary Purple Onion Coffee House in Texas.
Some books have a dedication page.
Written in longhand and festooned with examples of Le Clair's paintings, drawings, and photography, My Life in Art begins with a warning of sorts. Yet the book feels complete enough, offering more examples of painful honesty than most autobiographies. Life for Le Clair began during a New York City winter. He had a rough childhood, caught between his father's blue-collar expectations and his own profound interest in art and adventure. It was an early sign of my genius that the school could teach me nothing.