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Sterling and Stephen Clark grew up in a family in which art played a vital role. The family was based in New York City and Cooperstown, New York, where Edward Clark acquired a plot of land in 1856 on which he would build the Clark family home. Edward later bequeathed the property and wealth he had acquired as head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company to his son, Alfred, and his four grandsons, Edward, Sterling, Ambrose, and Stephen. Both Alfred and his wife Elizabeth collected art and Alfred commissioned work from contemporary artists. It was in this climate of artistic patronage and collecting that Stephen and Sterling first began to appreciate the visual arts. Ultimately, both brothers would dedicate much of their energy to cultural and philanthropic activities in rural as well as urban centers.
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