Smith, Clark Ashton

Clark Ashton Smith (13 January 1893 - 14 August 1961) was a self-educated American poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. As a member of the H. P. Lovecraft circle, (Smith's literary friendship with Lovecraft lasted from 1922 until Lovecraft's death in 1937), Smith remains second only to Lovecraft in general esteem and importance amongst contributors to the pulp magazine Weird Tales, where some readers objected to his morbidness and violation of pulp traditions.