in his studio, from
The Home: an Australian quarterly, Vol. 2 No. 4, 1 December 1921 p.60 Unlike her friends Clarke was not trained at the
National Gallery School, though she drew as well as photographed, but was involved with the
Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. including
Jessie Traill, one of Australia's most important 20th century printmakers who in 1909, moved to a studio in Temple Court, an arcade off Collins Street in Melbourne, occupied by
Janet Cumbrae Stewart,
Norah Gurdon and
A. M. E. Bale, and where she may have first met
Dora Wilson. Clarke was also friendly with artists
Margaret Maclean,
Guelda Pyke, and
Polly Hurry. Winning awards at the All-Australian Peace Exhibition, Adelaide, beside
Monte Luke, as announced in the May 1920
Australasian photo-review,. Clarke's work was included in a London Salon exhibition of the
Royal Photographic Society in 1921, and Director of the Pittsburg U.S.A. Salon of Photography included three of her platinum prints of Australian landscape in their annual Exhibition. A favourable review appeared on her work in 1922 in
Adelaide where she was showing with Dora Wilson in Elisabeth Wright's gallery while another reviewer of the same show notes: "Miss Pegg Clarke shows some photographs of scenery that are certainly worthy of being hung as works of art;" and still another:Pegg Clarke (Melbourne) has made of photography a consummate art. On gazing at her photographs, several of what one might aptly term "treescapes" having a soft melting grace reminiscent of a
Corot without colouring, makes it absolutely indifferent to academic discussions of whether photography is an art or a craft. Only an artist could make such pictures by camera as those by Pegg Clarke, a very beautiful sample of which (
Mist on the Mountains) was hung, in the London Salon, 1921. Pegg showed in a group exhibition at
Geelong Art Gallery in July 1922 and in 1923 she exhibited in a Colonial Prints Exhibition run by the English magazine,
Amateur Photographer. Her photograph
Mist in the Mountains was reproduced in
Cameragraphs, and included in the first Exhibition of the Australian Salon of Photography in 1924, the only Australian woman to be included in this exhibition. In a July 1924 review of a group exhibition at Queen's Hall, critic J. S. MacDonald remarks that "Pegg Clarke's three photographs of landscape motifs are excellent." In October, she participated in a group show at the May Club, Netter Buildings, Gresham street, Adelaide about which it was reported that; "Miss Pegg Clarke, of Melbourne, shows some exquisite photographic studies, mostly of gum trees and country scenes. A delightful atmosphere pervades her pictures." On return from touring in Europe in October 1929, in 1930 Clarke held a solo exhibition at The Little Gallery in Melbourne which was reviewed by
Arthur Streeton:The exhibition of photography by Miss Peg [sic] Clarke, which was opened yesterday at the Little Gallery, Little Collins street, is a revelation of what may be attained by sincere study and a remarkable perception of what is beautiful. This exhibition, consisting of about 100 prints, embraces subjects of interest in Great Britain, France, Italy and Australia. Without any forcing of contrast, with no unduly black shadows, and without any apparent additional finish by washes with a brush, Miss Clarke attains an exhibition of pure photographs which does not in any way attempt the qualities one may look for in an oil or water colour painting. As an exhibition of art the standard maintained is much more artistic and in a much higher average of quality than that in most of your shows of painting. No. 68
Mdlle Delphine, as a study of portraiture could not be better. Two studies of a child uncatalogued, one a back view and another reading a book, are remarkable for their simplicity and quiet beauty. No.6
Nelson and 20, ''The King's Archway,
are perfect gems in reserved silver tones. No 84, The Workaday World, Venice
, and No. 90, Venetian Canal
are vivid memories of water reflections in Venice. No. 16. Noon-day,
is a one arrangement of lighting and general interest of a narrow street. No. 64, The Muleteer, Corsica,
No 73a, Neighbours
, and No. 23, An English Lane'', are but a few of the many delightful camera pictures that await the spectator. The study required for the production of these prints must have been unusual. Many are already sold, and the exhibition should be visited by art students and all who are interested in art and general culture. Melbourne
Herald art critic Basil Burdett favourably reviewed a show by Clarke in her studio in November 1936; "England and the Continent, as well as her native Australia, have provided Miss Pegg Clarke with a wide variety of subject and scene in her exhibition of camera pictures, which Mrs R. D. Elliott will open at 437 Glenferrie Road, to night. Spain, the small towns of the French Riviera, Florence, the Cornish coast and Swiss canals contrast with the native beauties of gum and ti-tree and the coast at Lorne in this attractive show. Miss Clarke has an eye for something other than the merely picturesque, and most of our painters might study the composition of these carefully-selected subjects with profit. Some of the Australian photographs, in particular, should make our realistic painters sit up and take notice. Camera pictures like
A Fringe of Trees (No. 27), and
In the Dandenongs (No. 57) are far more satisfying pictorial records— not only better composed but more convincing in atmosphere and sense of place— than many pictures in oils and water-color seen in some recent exhibitions." Artist
Harold Herbert provided glowing reviews of the show in
The Argus and
The Australasian newspapers for both its opening, and its closing; A show by Miss Pegg Clarke which closed last Saturday was one of the best photographic exhibitions of the year. All people who appreciate the art of the camera admire Miss Clarke's work, and this show of prints—mostly of places abroad—more than justified her reputation. One can generally tell if work is drudgery or not. In the case of Miss Clarke it was obviously not so. A spirit of interest and pleasure seems to emanate from her records of curious old-world towns. An item of supreme importance, as far as photography is concerned, is choice of subject, and, having found it, to compose it in an acceptable manner. Miss Clarke has the good fortune to have a natural instinct for this, coupled with the necessary technical knowledge required for the ultimate results. Her subjects embraced all manner of things be loved of the painter—particularly in land scape—and the general excellence was such that to choose several as being better than others is scarcely worth while. Mrs. R. D. Elliott opened the show on November 17. == Collections ==