Artist Information Neil A Clarke

Neil A Clarke artist information Neil A Clarke | Artist Craftsman

Information

Originally from the Ashbourne area of Derbyshire, on the edge of the Peak District National Park, my desire to create artwork of some kind goes right back to my early childhood and was partly inspired by living in such a beautiful area of the UK as well as having family members who made their living as craftsmen. After completing a Foundation Course in Art & Design at the former Derby College of Higher Education, I spent three wonderful years studying for a degree in graphic design at Norwich School of Art (1981-84). In 1985 I started out as a self-employed artist/illustrator and a furniture designer/maker and from 1986 to 2006 I worked as a part-time adult education tutor for Derbyshire County Council. After being self-employed for over 25 years, I feel very lucky to have spent most of my working life producing art and craftwork of some kind and would like to thank all the people (past and present) who have commissioned/ordered/purchased my work in one way or another, along with those who have helped me to produce it as well as all the shops and galleries who have exhibited and sold it.

I have recently moved back to live on the outskirts of Ashbourne along with my wife Mel and our young daughter Kerryn. Mel is a qualified junior school teacher and now specialises in teaching piano music as well as being able to do music and world story telling sessions in local junior schools. We both enjoy listening to contemporary traditional Irish music (inc. Sharon Shannon, Lunasa and Altan amongst others) as well as other music from around the world. We also like to play in traditional music sessions in local pubs when the rare chance arises (Mel on piano accordion, myself on guitar/bouzouki). We have an organic allotment garden and, when possible, we both enjoy walking in the Peak District National Park with our Welsh border collie dog 'Bowey' - particularly the countryside along the course of the River Dove. We also enjoy the precious time spent with our lovely daughter.

Furniture Design

Over the last few years I've returned to mainly producing handmade furniture for other makers, individual customers and some small items for retail sales in art/craft galleries. Examples of archive furniture work are shown below and more can be seen on the Furniture Design section.

Artwork

Artwork sales have been difficult during the recent economic downturn, not helped by the market trend towards a more 'fashionable' abstracted style of artwork (away from traditional styles like mine) - not to mention competition from digital camera prints etc. Now I live nearer to the River Dove and its inspiring landscape, I hope for the chance to produce more artwork at some point in the future.

The ideal way to really observe the character and topographical features of Derbyshire and East Staffordshire is to produce my landscape paintings out on site and try to do pictorial justice to an area that I love for its unique beauty. The end result is a looser more spontaneous approach where I feel that I am as one with the scenery - painting almost subconsciously - yet still producing finely crafted pieces of artwork that do justice to the scene.

I use my own original photographs as reference material for paintings (enjoying the use of the camera in terms of finding/filing future reference material), often using both digital camera and traditional sketchbook to record scenes when there's insufficient time to paint decent pictures on site (but always aware that photographs mostly distort and flatten the sense of linear and aerial perspective and are a poor substitute for the real thing). From this information, back in the studio, I have produced more detailed figurative landscape studies concentrating on pictorial composition and the effects of light on the dramatic Peak District landscape.

I have also produced studio based paintings which depict reflected images on glass surfaces - often a multiplicity of ambiguous perspectives - aiming to challenge my own observational painting abilities and those of the picture viewer looking at what is confusing but also intriguing imagery. I use my own photographs as reference material - aiming to add an extra dimension to the image by transcribing them into transparent acrylic and watercolour paintings - more can be seen in Reflections. This was a way of moving towards producing work of a more abstract nature where I could experiment with technique and materials to create much more personalised artworks - relying less on purely figurative imagery.

I can produce paintings and drawings to commission - specialising mainly in architectural and landscape subject matter. Although my most familiar medium is watercolour, I also work in pen and wash, acrylics, gouache, oils and pastels - enjoying the differing qualities of each media. I am able to frame my own oil and acrylic (on canvas) paintings. A full list of original paintings currently available (to purchase directly from my studio or from retail art galleries) can be found on the Original Paintings - sales info page of this website.

Forthcoming Exhibitions & Events

I will be showing some original paintings in the New Mills Heritage Centre in April.

Very pleased that Artifex (The Mitchell Centre, Weeford Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B75 6NA) now have a selection of my 'Dovedale' dovetailed tables for sale.

The Ridgeway Gallery (Rutland Square, Bakewell, DE45 1BT) now have a selection of my 'Dovedale' dovetailed tables on display and hold regular exhibitions of original paintings by well known local and national artists. Tel: +44 (0)1629 814596

Opus Gallery in St John Street, Ashbourne, exhibit my dovetailed tables for sale along with work by other artists and craftspeople of repute.

I also exhibit items of furniture for sale at the Ferrers Gallery (at the Ferrers Centre for the Arts and Crafts, Staunton Harold, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1RU) - having first exhibited there in spring 1990.

Previous Exhibitions and Events

I exhibited some original landscape paintings (along with 6 other artists) at a special one-off show at Blore Church, Staffordshire (nr. Ashbourne), commission on sales was to go to enable repairs to the Grade 1 listed building - St Bartholomew's. This took place on the 21st May 2011. Very pleased to have sold some of my original paintings there.

My reflection paintings were exhibited as part of the 2008 Melbourne Festival Art & Architecture Trail. 'Melbourne Reflected' was used as the main image on the publicity postcards for last years festival and my work was also featured in connection to the festival in the July 2008 issue of the 'Derbyshire Magazine'.

I exhibited at the National Trust Visitors Centre, Ilam Park, Staffordshire (nr. Ashbourne) from 3rd to 11th May 2008. The exhibition titled 'Peak District Observed' consisted of a selection of studio and on-site paintings in watercolours, acrylics and oils.

Throughout February 2008 I was invited to exhibit some of my reflection paintings in the Derby Cathedral Centre exhibition area.

I showed some reflection paintings as part of the 2007 Wirksworth 'Art and Architecture Trail' which takes place annually at the start of the September Arts Festival. In 1987 I was invited to hold an exhibition of my watercolour paintings in the library as part of Festival in its early years - I exhibited furniture in the 1994 Trail.

Patchings 2006 Art Competition/Exhibition: I had two paintings (reflections) chosen for exhibition in the 'The Artist Magazine' professional category as part of the 13th Patchings Art, Craft and Design Festival at Patchings Art Centre, Oxton Road, Calverton, Nottinghamshire, UK.

The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) 'Open All Media' Exhibitions (in the Spring 2005 exhibition I was awarded the Winsor & Newton sponsored 1st Prize with a watercolour painting of 'The German Pavilion, Barcelona'. (Regular exhibitions take place - visit: www.rbsa.org.uk).

The Derby City Open at Derby Museums & Art Gallery.

The Derbyshire Open held at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery (in the 1983 exhibition I won the 'Monroe Trophy' - for my watercolour painting of Bradbourne Mill, Derbyshire, which was then purchased by Derbyshire County Council and added to their permanent collection).

The Nottingham City Open at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery.

Any comments you would like to make about the work shown on this site would be very much appreciated.

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