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by Arlene Wright-Correll

This week’s artist is John Clark of KY

John Clark studied multimedia design and fine arts before becoming convinced that abstract art was the direction he wanted to go with his work. John says, "Having always been involved in or deeply interested in any form of art from an early age, I especially remember being attracted to the "modern art" section of museums or galleries. The first time I saw a Jackson Pollock painting I was literally overwhelmed. While listening to comments like "is that art," and "what’s that supposed to mean" I was completely captivated with the piece. I felt moved by the piece and immediately knew which direction I had to go."

John soon discovered that knowing which direction you wish to take and actually accomplishing that goal was a hard road. His earliest works showed more influence from the design side of his background rather than the fine arts. He says, "They were absolutely abstract and while many people enjoyed the style it was just too antiseptic for me. I wanted my art to speak about the human condition, emotions, and things that cannot be explained in a photograph. I realized that my art was much more "structured" than what I was endeavoring to portray on canvas. At this point I made a shift in not only style but technique and pretty soon I was creating art that, while very obviously Pollock influenced, was at the same time my own."

John says, "Never satisfied, I continually tried to add my own spirit and emotion into the work and was enjoying the evolution of my art; when in 2004 the light of my life, my greatest supporter, my muse, my wife Kathy passed away. I didn’t know, honestly, whether I would ever paint again; the pain and other unpleasant emotions I was enduring finally became too much for me to bear and I realized that even in death Kathy was still inspiring me to paint. When I first put paint to canvas after her death I found that my style had completely changed, seemingly on its own. My art was so different from what I had been doing and yet it was so much more satisfying. I was able to consign to canvas my deepest emotions while at the same time creating a style that I think today I can say is my own."

When asked how he comes up with ideas for his work, John replied, "I am often asked how I come up with the ideas for my art. The truth is that unless it is a commissioned piece I don’t. I work very close in to the canvas and many times until I step back I really have no idea what the work is going to look like. I have found this to be the best technique for me. I honestly don’t know how these emotions flow from me to the canvas, it’s like something inside me is taking over, and it’s a spiritual experience for me. Now I would never be so arrogant to state or even think that God is painting through me; but there is a driving force there and as long as it is in me I will paint."

John studied Multimedia Design at the Art Institute of Dallas followed by a Fine Arts curriculum at Tarrant Co. College in Arlington, Texas. John says he has been inspired by many artists. His favorites include Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dali. He has been further inspired by the work of Texas artists Santa C. Barraza, Mel Casas, Dorothy Hood, and Joseph Glasco. However, John Clark began to develop his own style and was able to sell his works almost immediately. Yet he says, "I cannot get over how my style has changed over the past 10 years, I obviously always enjoyed my work but I honestly believe it wasn’t until three years ago that I found my own style." John is also a successful amateur photographer who even won an international award for achievement in digital photography in 2001.

John has an internet based business called Tranquility Productions where he displayed and sold his art. Through this web site and various other venues John has sold paintings that now hang in private collections and businesses in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Kansas City, St. Louis, Orlando, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and now the greater Bowling Green area

. After becoming a widower he moved from Scottsville in early 2007 John to Bowling Green to be closer to artist friends and galleries. "I love this town," Clark says "especially the downtown square. For a town of this size there is an incredible amount of things to do and I love living in a town that prides itself on cultural diversity. I have had no loss of inspiration since moving here, that’s for certain. I haven’t been able to get a lot of exposure here but I understand how these things work and I feel that it’s going to be alright. I have only entered one art competition since moving here. I took second place and honorable mention in the ‘Professional Abstract’ division at the Allen Co. Art Guild’s annual art show. Once I find a way to get my work before the public on a regular basis here I’m sure it will be successful." In January 2008 he had a "one man" exhibition at Arlene’s Art Gallery in Bowling Green, KY.

(Contact Arlene Wright-Correll at 270 524 9567 or email her at askarlene@scrtc.com  if you want to be next week’s column of Who’s Who in KY Art’s and Crafts)