Clay Savant Artist

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

News Anchor: “A genius with a disability. That is the fictional character at the center of a new ABC series called the Good Doctor.

But the condition that character has, savant syndrome, is very real.

Denver 7’s Jacklyn Allen introduces us to a man, right here in Boulder, scientists call a prodigious savant.

Jacklyn Allen, Reporter: “Experts tell me he is one of one-hundred prodigious savants in the entire world. And an exceptional mind like his could teach us about the dormant potential within all of us.”

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Nancy Mason, Alonzo’s Assistant: “No one taught him this.”

For a long as he can remember . . .

Nancy Mason, Alonzo’s Assistant: “It just started pouring forth from him.”

Alonzo Clemon’s strong hands have been working clay.

Ken Knudson, Art of Life Gallery: “I just think that his work is amazing.”

Not just because he loves to sculpt;

“Dr. Darold Treffert, Psychology Researcher: “He would just sculpt anything he got his hands on.

He has to sculpt.”

Jacklyn Allen, Reporter: “You did this in ten minutes?”
Alonzo Clemons, Savant Artist: “Yeah.”
Jacklyn Allen, Reporter: “That’s amazing.”

When he was a small child, Alonzo was in an accident, a fall.

Nancy Mason, Alonzo’s Assistant: “It was a family tragedy. And yet, at the same time, something incredible came out of it.”

Nancy Mason, his assistant for twenty-two years, said the brain injury was so severe, he would never be able to read, write or drive.

But then, he started to create. He didn’t have clay, he used butter or even tar from sidewalks.

Nancy Mason, Alonzo’s Assistant: “His clay was not just his favorite activity, it was an integral part of his personhood.

He sees that image, and he can kind of like freeze-frame it in his mind.”

These photos show that even as a child, Alonzo could briefly glance at a photo of any animal and accurately transform it from 2-D to 3-D.

Reporter: “Do you have to look at anything to do this?”
Alonzo Clemons, Savant Artist: “I don’t have to look; it’s in my mind.”

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Darold Treffert, Research Director, The Treffert Center: “His measured IQ is forty. But his ability — his savant ability — is what I call prodigious.”

Darold Treffert has been studying savant syndrome for over fifty years, and written books on it. He says injuries or defects to the higher circuitry to the brain effectively rewire it and activate other parts.

Darold Treffert, Research Director, The Treffert Center: “What you see in the savant is a lower brain circuitry coupled with massive memory. The prodigious savant is a person who if they had no disability, we would call them a genius.

And Alonzo fits into that category.”

Reporter: “Did you have any lessons?”
Alonzo Clemons, Savant Artist: “No!”
Reporter: “This is just natural ability?”
Alonzo Clemons, Savant Artist: “Natural ability.”

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Ken Knudson, Art of Life Gallery: “His attention to detail is just incredible.”

Inside Denver’s Art of Life Gallery, owner Ken Knudson has been selling Alonzo’s work for years. His exceptional talent and fame have generated a national collector base.

Ken Knudson, Art of Life Gallery: “I think it awaken all of us to the fact that everyone has a skill set. Sometimes you just have to look a little deeper into that person to see what their particular skill set that is.”

These days, Alonzo is dabbing into pastels. He’s a champion power lifter, and has a job at the YMCA.

But inside his Boulder condo, Alonzo has shelves and shelves of sculptures. And a reason why he feels so driven to make them.

Reporter: “Why do you think you have this gift?”
Alonzo Clemons, Savant Artist: “God in Heaven gave me this gift.”

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Incredible talent. And Alonzo’s largest sculpture sold for $45,000. We have a photo of it here. And it is his dream to do some more life-sized works like this one.

Now as far as Dr. Treffert’s research is concerned, he is focusing on whether that rare savant ability can be tapped into, through everything from meditation to medication.

And the answer to an extent is ‘yes’. And with new technology in the future with brain pacemakers, the possibility are endless.

News Anchor, Male: “I will never get over the human potential.”

New Anchor, Female: “That is amazing. Wonderful.”

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Questions

Statue, Sculpture. Geniuses and savants are very common in society. True or false?

Clay. Did Alonzo Clemons attended an art academy? Did he master clay sculpturing at an art academy?

Ceramics, Pottery, Vase. Does it usually take him ten days to complete a sculpture?

Metal, Bronze, Gold, Silver. Alonzo probably inherited his artistic ability from his mother. Is this right or wrong? Why is he so artistic? How does he make amazing clay sculptures?

Drawing, Sketching, Painting. Can he read classical literature, write poetry and novels and do algebra?

Paint, Paintbrush. Do Alonzo have to study a living animal model or photo of an animal while he sculpts?

Pastel, Oil Colors, Acrylic, Water Colors. Alonzo keeps and collects all this clay sculptures. Is this correct or incorrect?

Wood Carving, Wooden. Is Alonzo only good at sculpting with clay? Can he only sculpt with clay?

Marble, Stone. What do scientists hope for? What are researchers hopping to achieve?
 
 
 
Chisel and Hammer. I know some very artistic and talented people. True or false?

Weave. Do you know any geniuses or very smart or skilled people in any area (computers, carpentry, mechanics)?

Knit, Crotchet. What are your hobbies, talents or abilities?

Furniture Maker. Do you wish you had a talent or ability? What talents or abilities do you wish you had?

Metal Work, Engraving. What might happen in the future?

Leather Work. What could or should people, schools, educators and societies do?