Claude Curry Bohm

Artist: Claude Curry Bohm
Birth: October 19th, 1894
Birth City: Nashville, Tennessee
Birth County: Davidson
Death: November 18th, 1971
Death City: Nashville, In.
Burial: Green Lawn Cemetery, Nashville, In.
Marriage: Lillian Harrington (June 4th, 1897 to December 4th, 1981)
Children: None

Subject Matter: Landscapes, Snow Scenes
Art Associations: Chicago Painters and Sculptors Association, Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Hoosier Salon, Brown County Art Gallery Association, Indiana Artist Club, Rockport Art Association, North Shore Art Asociation.

Biography of Claude Curry Bohm

Courtesy; The Lily Library;
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

Although Claude Curry Bohm was born in Nashville, TN., he spent his childhood growing up in New Orleans. Born to an artist father and actress mother, he grew up in the arts. Curry was able to watch his father Robert paint murals, but unfortunately, Curry's father died when he was young, resulting in the family moving to Louisville, Ky. As a teenager, Claude worked to help the family by working at several different jobs, including a newspaper print shop.

On August 4th, 1913, Claude and Lillian Harrington eloped to Jeffersonville, In. They moved to Chicago in 1916 and was employed at W. P. Dun Printing House. Claudes formal art education included the National Academy under the eye of Edward F. Timmons. Boahn attended the Art Institute of Chicago after marrying his wife, Lillian.

Curry Bohm Discovers Brown County

Claude and Lillian began visiting  Brown County regularly in 1920 to paint Nashville and the beautiful surrounding area, known as Peaceful Valley. Claude moved to Brown County in 1932 to establish himself in Nashville. Due to hard times and the depression, Lillian stayed in Chicago to provide Claude money. Claude would remain in Nashville during the summer and return to Chicago in the winter to see Lilian. Eventually, Lillian joined Claude in Nashville, and they rented a converted cattle barn, later buying a house on Greasy Creek. Bohm had the barn they lived in moved to his home so the barn could serve as a studio.  To earn extra money, Claude taught landscape painting to small groups of students in the summer from1932 to 1956 and painted his famous snow scenes during the long winters in Nashville. During World War II, he was employed as a bookkeeper and Citizens Gas and Coke Utility. In 1947 Claude and Lillian moved into a house on Main street in Nashville that served as a home and gallery of Cludes paintings. The Bohms spent the rest of their life living in Nashville.

Top Ten Facts about Claude Curry Bohm

1. Known for his fiery red hair with a temper to match.
2. Claude liked to argue with fellow artist Jack LaChance usually resulting in disruption at restaurants and public places.
3. He was quick to criticize other work that did not meet his artistic standards.
4. Painted along the sea coast, Tennessee and Mexico
5. Painted with V. J. Cariani and Carl Graf
6. Claude liked music and attended performances at Indiana University.
7. Eloped at age 18
8. Was well known for his landscape painting especially snow scenes
9. Opened the School of Landscape painting
10. Rented a converted cattle barn

Exhibitions and Awards

Awards: 1931Gold Medel Palette and Chisel Academy, Fredrick Vance Award Brown County Art Gallery, Outstanding Watercolor Indiana Artist Club, Bronze Medal for "Grey Blanket" at the San Francisco Worlds Fair.

Sources

Photo of Curry Bohm Courtesy; The Lily Library; Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana.
M. Joanne Nesbit and Barbara Judd - Those Brown County Artists - "The Ones Who Came, the Ones Who Stayed, The Ones Who Moved On 1900 - 1950" - Nanna's Books 1993
Lyn Letsinger-Miller - The Artists of Brown County - Indiana University Press Bloomington and Indianapolis 1994