▁States ▁and ▁Mexico ▁until ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁began . ▁He ▁then ▁joined ▁the ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁for ▁the ▁war ▁effort . ▁ ▁Clo ar ▁visited ▁Mexico ▁on ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁G ug gen heim ▁Fellow ship . ▁He ▁tra ve led ▁around ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁His ▁first ▁one - man ▁show ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁in ▁M emph is . ▁He ▁moved ▁perman ently ▁to ▁M emph is ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁after ▁determ ining ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁his ▁art ▁was ▁root ed ▁in ▁his ▁Southern ▁U . S . ▁experience . ▁ ▁Clo ar ▁then ▁completed ▁ 1 4 ▁works ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁including ▁the ▁representative ▁work , ▁" My ▁Father ▁Was ▁Big ▁as ▁a ▁Tree ." ▁A ▁New ▁York ▁showing ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁helped ▁establish ▁his ▁career ▁nation ally . ▁Tennessee ▁museum s ▁later ▁held ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 ▁exhib itions ▁of ▁his ▁works , ▁while ▁he ▁also ▁displayed ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁show ings . ▁ ▁Clo ar ▁died ▁in ▁M emph is ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁ ▁Museum s ▁that ▁have ▁acquired ▁Clo ar ' s ▁works ▁ ▁Add ison ▁Gallery ▁of ▁American ▁Art , ▁And over , ▁MA ▁ ▁Ark ansas ▁Arts ▁Center , ▁Little ▁Rock , ▁AR ▁ ▁Art ▁Museum ▁of ▁Sun r ise , ▁Char l eston , ▁W V ▁Art ▁Museum ▁of ▁The ▁University ▁of