If you want to visit artist Todd Clark's studio in rural Gibsons, you may have to go eye-to-eye with an emu. The big birds play in a paddock near his rustic studio and like to engage guests in staring matches. A mother guinea hen, peacocks, ducks, a cat and other creatures hum or squawk in the prolific gardens surrounding the farmhouse style home of Clark and his green thumb wife Carol Marlowe.
This is the artist's gorgeous setting for the summer months. As an elementary school teacher in North Vancouver, he commutes most of the year, but still finds time to paint at least a bit every day, even after arriving home on the ferry.
"If you don't, you get rusty," Clark said.
In summer his studio is open by appointment and he hosts his annual studio show and sale. This year it took place July 11 and attracted close to 100 guests who bought 16 of his paintings. Some of his work has graced the fine interior design of show homes, causing his paintings to appear in such lifestyle magazines as Coast Life and Canadian House & Home. As soon as his recent show came down, Clark participated with a group of Coast artists who displayed their work in the garden of Linwood House in Roberts Creek on Sunday, July 19, with part proceeds as a fundraiser for the work of the organization's ministry.
Clark will also be teaching an oil painting class for beginners, aged 16 and up, at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, July 25 to 26, during their summer art school sessions. (For more, phone Kevin McEvoy at 604-885-4536.)
In August he plans to build a second floor on his studio so he has removed all the artwork temporarily to the farmhouse's tiny living room. It makes a charming gallery. Somewhere in all this activity, he'll still find time to paint. As he puts it in his succinct artist's statement: "I paint because it forever challenges me and delivers great satisfaction. Besides, one can only do so much gardening."
The Clark style is difficult to describe.
"I always reference nature in some form or other," he said. "Some of it is literal, some abstract."
His landscapes are initially recognizable as such but may transform into impressions.
"It may look like trees when I start to paint, but it evolves on its own," he said. "Then I go with it. It just depends on what's working."
Although Clark is no longer represented by the Westwind Gallery in Gibsons, preferring to do his own marketing, he is still part of a critique group who met through Westwind - all local artists who gather to evaluate each other's work.
"Critique from peers, that is so helpful," Clark said. "We support each other that way."
Since making art by oneself can be a solitary pursuit, he enjoys the camaraderie of the group as well. Of course, when working at home, he also has emus for company.
Clark's work can be seen at www.toddclarkstudio.com. His studio is open by appointment by calling 604-886-8343.
