Erin Clark

I am from a rural town in the beautiful landscape of upstate New York.

I currently live in Warwick, NY. It is small tight-knit town about 50 miles north of NYC. I am surrounded by beauty each day, passing farms and rolling hills no matter where I am. The trees and the fields are inspirational in all seasons.

Although I am a native of New York, my work is inspired by frequent world travel. I have also been fortunate enough to have lived in Chicago, IL, Greenwich, CT, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Kenya, Africa, which have all greatly influenced my sense of color and form. So yes, each place that I have lived has most definitely influenced my work and my vision as an artist. The colors and textures of my surroundings play a large part on my creativity.

I have pursued my passion for creating since I was a child, really ever since I can remember. As a small child I told my parents that I was going to be an artist when I grew up. I suppose it's always been in me to create.

All throughout my primary schooling I focused primarily on art. So naturally I chose to get a fine art degree to help me learn and explore many different mediums in a formal yet creative environment. I received my formal fine art education at SUNY Purchase College, School of the Arts, NY and my graduate degree from Manhattanville College in New York.

Well, let's see, I worked in the meat department at a grocery store as a teenager, strange place for a vegetarian! I also did a summer at Burger King. After that job I immediately did an internship with a photographer in Chicago. That was when I knew that all jobs moving forward would be related to the arts. I tried teaching art as well, which was also great learning experience for me. I found that the freedom and creativity of children was such an inspiration. They truly taught me that art has no wrong answers.

Directly out of college I began working in a photo lab in Greenwich, CT, yes, way back before the digital era. I worked with very toxic chemicals, but I found great joy in making photographs look the best that they could using the old school darkroom techniques. I continued to worked in darkrooms printing anything from display material to fine art. Then I really found my niche while working for a large fine art publishing company. I was creating advertising materials, fine art posters and artwork for customers based upon their wishes. Being an in-house artist was truly a dream for me.

You know, I just love creating, working with new materials, and exploring my creativity. I have a favorite sculpture park here in NY that I frequent called Storm King. It is truly a majestic and inspirational place, juxtaposing sculptures upon the landscape. I am amazed each and every visit depending upon the light and the season.

Wow, 10 years? I would love to be living in the high desert in the Southwest and finding inspiration through the purity of the hues that the landscape in that part of the world reflects. For me it's a uniquely spiritual and serene environment which really boosts my creativity and helps me to focus on my artwork, and less on the distractions of everyday life.

I am always experimenting with different ideas. I have a diverse exploration of art mediums including computer based illustration, photography, jewelry design, oil painting, woodblock printing, etching, photogravure, palladium printing and collage. I have an intuitive feeling for form and a passion for color. I choose each medium for it's unique characteristics. I am truly up for anything, I am not afraid to experiment and go outside of my comfort zone. In fact, many times that is where my best work stems from.

Sometimes I have to let a piece sit for a bit, then come back to it with fresh eyes. I suppose it's intuitive knowing when a piece is finished, kind of like cooking, you just know.

I often look for inspiration in nature, often in trees. Trees have this free and organic shape, and they are forever changing with the seasons and with their growth. I love trees! I am also inspired by architecture, both ancient and modern. By surrounding myself with new colors and textures, whether in nature or man-made.

It's definitely a cliche, but really follow your dreams!!! Create and find inspiration around you each day. Don't ever be afraid to experiment and try new art forms. There are no wrong answers in creating art. Surround yourself with art and artists, draw inspiration from them. And never let anyone tell you can't make a career out of being creative, there are so many different avenues to discover in the creative field. There is an abundance of visual work to be done from advertising to film to museum work. Immerse yourself in art and you will find inspiration in the never ending well of creativity the dwells inside of you.