John Louis Clarke ("Cutapuis"; May 10, 1881 – November 20, 1970) was a

Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

artist and

woodcarver Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation ...

from

East Glacier, Montana East Glacier Park (Blackfeet: , "Big Tree Lodge") is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Glacier County, Montana, United States. The population was 363 on the 2010 United States Census. The Great Northern Railway pla ...

who was

deaf Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an Audiology, audiological condition. In this context it ...

and

mute Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak. Mute or the Mute may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart * ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...

, he was noted for his wildlife carvings related to Glacier National Park. His Blackfoot name was "Cutapuis" (The Man Who Talks Not).

Early life

John Louis Clarke was born in

Highwood, Montana Highwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chouteau County, Montana, United States. The population was 176 at the 2010 census. History Highwood first had a post office in 1881, which closed and reopened a few ti ...

on May 10, 1881, to Horace J. Clarke and Margaret First Kill (daughter of Chief Stands Alone). Both of his parents were Blackfoot, and he was one of eight children. He was the grandson of Montana fur trader Major Malcolm Clarke. Malcolm Clarke was murdered by a band of Piegan Blackfeet at his Prickly Pear Creek ranch north of Helena, Montana on August 17, 1869, an event that led directly to the

Marias Massacre The Marias Massacre (also known as the Baker Massacre or the Piegan Massacre) was a massacre of Piegan Blackfeet Native peoples which was committed by the United States Army as part of the Indian Wars. The massacre took place on January 23, 1870, ...

in January 1870. During the 1869 raid on Malcolm Clarke's ranch, Horace, John's father was badly wounded. At the age of two,

scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...

left John deaf during an outbreak that killed four of his brothers. Because of his condition, he was given the Blackfoot name of "Cutapuis" or "Man Who Talks Not" at an early age. His education began in 1894 at the

North Dakota School for the Deaf The North Dakota School for the Deaf (NDSD) is a state-funded residential school located in Devils Lake, North Dakota that provides services to meet the educational needs of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. NDSD is under the direction, c ...

Devils Lake, North Dakota Devils Lake is a city in Ramsey County, North Dakota, Ramsey County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Ramsey County. The population was 7,192 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is named after the nearby body o ...

. He also attended the Montana Deaf and Dumb Asylum at

Boulder, Montana Boulder is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Montana, United States. It is on the north bank of the Boulder River between Butte and Helena, slightly east of the Continental Divide, at the intersection of Interstate 15 and Mont ...

;Now known as the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls, Montana the St. John's School for the Deaf in

St. Francis, Wisconsin St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,161 at the 2020 census. History St. Francis Seminary was established in what is now the city in 1845. The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi established ...

; and Fort Shaw Indian Boarding School in Fort Shaw, Montana. Although he learned wood carving in school, he never received any formal art education. In 1888, while John was at school, the Clarke family moved to Midvale, Montana, which later became known as East Glacier Park Village. John's father Horace became a prominent Blackfoot tribal leader and was instrumental in the treaty and land sale that ceded Blackfoot lands to the United States federal government for the new national park. In 1918, he married Mary "Mamie" Simon, and together they adopted one daughter. His wife acted as a business partner and helped with sales.

Career

John returned to live and work in East Glacier in 1912 to 1913. Glacier National Park had been created in 1910, and John Clarke began working as a guide for tourists in the eastern portions of the park. Clarke opened and operated an art studio up until his death in 1970, in what is now East Glacier Park Village, Montana. Notable art students included

Albert Racine Albert Batiste Rancine, also known as Apowmuckon, or Running Weasel (April 19, 1907 – 1984) was a Blackfoot artist from Browning, Montana in the United States. He started his career as a painter, and by 1936 he was a sculptor. He is noted for his ...

. One of Clarke's sculptures was owned by

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. A ...

and was displayed in the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

. In 1924,

John D. Rockefeller John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American business magnate and philanthropist. He has been widely considered the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history. Rockefeller was ...

purchased 4 of Clarke's sculptures. In 1940, Clarke was commissioned to create a pair of relief panels. When they were completed they each weighed more than a ton, today the two panels adorn the Blackfeet Hospital lobby. His work is in the collection at the

Montana Historical Society The Montana Historical Society (MHS) is a historical society located in the U.S. state of Montana that acts to preserve historical resources important to the understanding of Montana history. The society provides services through six operational ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, John Louis 1881 births 1970 deaths People from Chouteau County, Montana Blackfeet Nation people Artists from Montana Deaf artists American deaf people Mute people