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 Born in Doncaster, April 1952, I remember from a very early age being interested in capturing my surroundings through drawing on any blank paper I could find - the dog asleep on the rug, the living room full of furniture, my mother or brother relaxing watching the TV in the evening, my left hand holding objects, a pair of shoes, the dining table and chairs… anything that would stay still long enough for me to capture a likeness.
I was far from being a scholar at school: the teachers gave me good marks for any illustration work, average on almost everything else, and, in the case of maths, much less than average! In fact, I remember one maths teacher telling me not to waste his time, and go to the art room where he knew I enthused and thrived. I also enjoyed subjects like metalwork, woodwork and technical drawing – all things visual and practical suited my learning style. My skill at drawing was acknowledged by one and all, especially my mother! School friends would offer to do my theory work if I agreed to illustrate their exercise books and it seemed like a good idea at the time!
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By Dr. Sue Roe
Clark’s stylish handling of light is what draws us in, whether he’s evoking the leather interior of a car, the craggy rocks of the Yorkshire Moors, the architectural elegance of a grand hotel or the salty fascination of a landscape. The way he lights his scenes turns them into places of intrigue and fascination.
Though Graham Clark studied graphic design at art college he has never denied being self-taught as a painter. His graphic precision, striking colour combinations and stylish lighting put him in the realm of artists with a strong design sense, inspired by painters such as American Impressionist Ross Sterling Turner, who began his career as a mechanical draftsman in the US Patent Office – though Clark’s vision is undeniably contemporary. It’s the feeling of something unexplained, of a story as yet untold, that’s the special hallmark of Clark’s work. His landscapes often feel as if he’s just stepped ashore, not knowing quite what he’ll find. We wonder what has just happened on the twisting path between the tall trees, in Purple Fields, or in the deserted pagoda, empty of people on a summer’s afternoon, in Magnesia Well, Valley Gardens, Harrogate. That sense of mystery extends to his fascination with nature itself, and takes us to the heart of his vision. A particularly striking example is Farmhouse, Derbyshire, where we just sense that the sudden wash of light, picking out a blue door and a bright, striped wall, will last but a minute before the buildings again blend into the landscape, nestling back into the shelter of the surrounding moors.
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