Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Clark.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Like many artists, I would say that I was always creative. Throughout my whole life, I have always incorporated something creative into my routine. I’ve explored custom woodworking, pottery, photography and even sculptures made from old bicycle parts. I remember my mom taking me to the art store when I was about 12 and buying me a set of Grumbacher Oil Pastels, which I still have to this day. I took art classes in middle school and high school and thought for sure I was going to be an artist for a living. In my post high school years, I put that dream aside. Whether it was due to fear of failure or focusing on more lucrative pursuits I cannot say for sure, but as I said, no matter what else I was doing, creativity was a part of my life.
After high school, I ended up spending time in the Marine Corps and ultimately went on to college to study civil engineering. I spent the next 20 years building an engineering career and raising a family. Then, about 7 years ago (2015), I decided I would take a drawing class at the Laguna Gloria Contemporary Art School. Taking that class re-sparked my passion for traditional visual arts. From that first class forward, I continued to draw, paint and take additional classes, but it wasn’t until the COVID pandemic that I considered being at a point to show my art to the world or sell my art. The shutdown gave me a new perspective on life and a lot of time to paint. I sold my first paintings through social media during the height of COVID and that gave me the confidence to put myself out there even more. Each year that passes provides an even stronger pull to be a full-time artist. Now I consistently take part in local group shows and have even started teaching art classes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Never smooth! Looking back, it has not been mountainous and impossible, but it has never been smooth, and the journey is still just beginning in my mind. It has really only been in the last 2 years that I feel like my labors have started to pay off. Trying to redefine myself as a full-time artist is not as simple as just quitting a corporate job and selling every painting I make. As a self-taught artist I feel like the learning curve has been even longer than if I had gone to art school. In my opinion, the self-taught artist has an even greater sense of imposter syndrome because they cannot point to any formal training or degree. In the first couple of years, my CV was two lines long, consisting of my name and the line “self-taught artist”. No pedigree, no former professors to claim study under, just me and my art to prove I knew what I was doing. One thing that is a blessing (and maybe a burden at the same time) is my 20-year career as an engineer. It’s a blessing in the sense that I have been financially stable while venturing out into the art world. This takes a lot of pressure off since I am not relying on my art to put food on the table. It is a burden in the sense that I often find myself being pulled in two directions. My career as an engineer takes away from my time making art and my art pulls me away from my career as an engineer. It is a constant battle between the two competing for my time and energy. It can also feel like a burden, as I sometimes wonder if I would be further along in my art career had I not had engineering to prop me up. If I had to make and sell art to survive and feed my family, I might be more motivated to hustle for sales, commissions, and gallery representation.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My art/ creative business is called Clark’s Art Studio. I am a visual artist that works with painting and drawing. I work mainly with oil paint in a traditional representational style. I think I am still in the process of finding my artistic voice so I hate to pin one label on what my art is or what it represents. I dabble in many different subjects, but most of my work is in three areas: Marine life and the ocean, Portraiture, and Plein Air landscapes. In addition to making art, I try to get involved with the local community. I do a lot of volunteer work with the Inspired Minds Art Center in Buda, TX. I run their weekly figure drawing sessions, I curate a mural program for them, and I teach a painting class there as well.
I would say that I am most proud of my willingness to try, which I feel is what sets me apart from others. As a self-taught artist, I have been like a sponge, soaking up many different styles and being willing to experiment and not being afraid to fail. I try to set myself apart from others with my art by capturing scenes and visions that most people don’t see. My marine life art is inspired by my love of scuba diving and much of it is based on reference photos I’ve taken on scuba trips. When I paint portraits, I am drawn to non-traditional views of people, objects and animals. For example, my portraits “Chemistry Girl” and “Sparkle” are a little off-beat and portray the subject in a serious state that is also borderline comical. When I do plein air paintings, I also try to find scenes that are non-traditional. For example, last month I did a plein air painting of a stoplight while standing on an empty corner at 12:30 at night. Not your usual subject and definitely not your usual plein air outing, but it won me an honorable mention award at a local contest.
Where do you see things in the industry going in the next 5-10 years?
I am not sure I am qualified to discuss the industry as a whole, but based on what I see going on locally, I think there are two major things brewing. The first is that social media has blown up the traditional selling channels for artists. Artists that may have never been seen even nationally can now sell their work internationally and make a living without ever showing in a gallery. I expect this trend to continue and allow artists to control more of their own fate. You now even have hundreds of online art exhibits that artists can participate in that provide exposure to people from all over the world. People may argue that some of these artists are not ever going to be good enough to show in a “traditional gallery” or they will never win some prestigious award, but who are we to squash their dreams? In the end, if your goal is to sell art and people are buying it, you are a success. The second trend I see in the industry is the increase of art and creative practice in people’s lives. I think the pandemic made people realize they should not put off the things they have always wanted to do. More people are starting to take classes and look for creative outlets in their lives. Whether they want to do it as a second career or just have fun with a new hobby, people are making the time for it. Because of this, I would not be surprised to see more access to the arts through profit and non-profit classes, grants, endowments, and an increase in the number of visitors to art museums.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clarksartstudio.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/clarksart
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/clarksartstudio
Image Credits
Michael Clark
