MICHAEL CLARK
Artist Statement
When making these Rothkoesk, more minimalist works, my inspiration came from the horizontal lines and large fields of color found in the landscape that describe a vast panoramic view. The addition of texture, physical as well as visual, represents to me the up close and personal landscape. For example, the walls of a rock cliff, the side of a canyon, or even a rock mound at the state park. Landscape you can put your hands on.
To me, this combination of vast panoramic vistas coupled with the personal and textural qualities, give these pieces a life and environment of their own. Although these pieces start out as landscapes in my mind, they finish up as something else: they become their own reality less about landscape and more about paint and texture, beauty and history.
Beauty today is esteemed by the perfectness of a thing. Or, in reality, perfection is achieved by the ability to cover up imperfections. Images are airbrushed, cropping and filters are used, all with the purpose of making a more acceptable and palatable image.
To create works using rough and uneven textures, materials that are typically discarded, sand and earth, areas of paint that have worn off allowing past marks of history to show through, is rewarding because it celebrates beauty in its imperfections. All these imperfections work together to create beautiful and interesting visual works.
