Retiring after 22 years with the Smithsonian, Mark Clark left his curatorial position at the National Museum of the American Indian and moved to Brownsville in 2005 to get warm.  In the seven years since, he has turned up the heat on the Brownville art and music scene and helped reenergize the historic downtown district.  Above all, through his investment in the historic Miller -Webb building and the opening of Galeria 409, Clark has changed the perception of Brownsville’s historic downtown and who goes there.

Clark, who had lived in Corpus Christi as a child and then majored in art history, had his own art studio and gallery in southwest Washington, D.C.  After that property was acquired for the city’s new baseball stadium, Clark reinvested the proceeds in Brownsville’s second oldest building, which dated back to 1859 when it was a drug store.  Clark stripped the walls down to the old tan brick, took out an interior staircase and the dropped ceiling.  He added iron balconies and replaced the aluminum doors and windows.  He himself handled the demolition, trash removal and of course the painting.  At the same time a contractor spent over a year getting the wiring, plumbing and structural upgrades completed.

In the process, a totally claustrophobic and airless space at 409 E. 13th Street was transformed into an attractive art gallery that every six weeks or so launches new exhibits with a jam-packed reception. Mark Clark called his first show Uno, and in September he hosted Seis, the sixth invitational exhibition which showcased 28 Valley artists—painters, sculptors and ceramicists.

“We show art of the Rio Grande Valley, which I feel is an underexposed area. There are a lot of fine artists here.  There are just not enough galleries to handle them,” said Clark, who shows artists from both sides of the border.” I want to look at what they are doing.”

Galeria 409 sold four pieces the opening night of Seis with Clark taking a modest 25 percent commission.

“I’m not in this to get rich,” he explained.   He is very selective of the artists he invites to exhibit. “I have to look at their stuff for more than a month, so I am kind of particular about what I hang on my walls.”

Contenders is the name of the Galleria show opening in October and it will showcase Valley artists such as Veronica Jaeger, who are showing their work nationally.

Clark’s own studio is upstairs, where a balcony gives a good view of the nearby Rio Grande, “despite what (Homeland Security Secretary) Michael Chertoff did to my view of the river,” said the artist.

“I’ve responded to the culture, and it’s had a profound effect on my painting.”

He’s working on Brownsville Calle, paintings of contemporary downtown scenes. He’s also expanding his Aztec paintings series, which have been on display at the McAllen Library and will be moving to the Mexican Consulate later this year.

For more of this story by Eileen Mattei, pick up a copy of the October edition of Valley Business Report, on news stands now, or visit the “Current & Past Issues” tab on this Web site.