Dr. Dallie Clark PhD’12
Photo by Nick Young
Sitting down to write a letter may seem quaint to digital devotees, but Dr. Dallie Clark PhD’12 sees the beauty in handcrafted communications.
The Collin College humanities professor chose to focus on the topic for her dissertation research at UT Dallas and has continued to collect artifacts of the art form over the years. Recently, her efforts blossomed into a multimedia art exhibit “The Letter as Art in the Digital Age,” which runs through Feb. 22 at Collin College’s THE ARTS Gallery in Plano.
Clark said the exhibit showcases the art form of handwritten communication and how it has influenced our cultural and societal development.
“It all started with a shoebox of letters that my mother gave me many, many years ago,” she said. “So that planted a seed in my heart regarding the artistry of old letters.”
Clark became a full-time professor at Collin College in 2005. She holds a doctorate in humanities from UT Dallas, where she serves as an advisory board member for the School of Arts and Humanities.
She said her research speaks to our longing for “these beautiful handwritten items in our lives,” a tangible form of lasting communication.
“The penmanship is simply breathtaking,” Clark said, “and I'm astonished by the wording and the measured time individuals took to write these letters — they reflect not only beauty, but meaning as well.”
A special reception for the exhibition will be held Thursday, Feb. 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. in THE ARTS Gallery.
Media Contact: Grace Gaddy, UT Dallas, (972) 883-4912, grace.gaddy@utdallas.edu