biography

Molly Clark grew up on the Canadian prairies near Parkbeg, Saskatchewan. The rolling hills and rocky pastures of her first home find their way into much of this painter’s realistic landscape work. The paintings range from traditional landscapes to yoga postures floating in fields of energy. The common thread in these diverse works is simply the beauty that the artist sees in the subject matter; she paints the things she feels connected with. Clark is mainly self-taught and uses various media and painting styles to portray the subject matter. Works are no longer for sale.

artist’s statement

I believe art is one way to say that there is great value in recognizing beauty. When we see the beauty in nature or human endeavor, we give ourselves the gift of connectedness. When we openly recognize the inner beauty in another person, we extend that same gift and share it with them. Art can depict and help to create these experiences, reminding us to choose beauty over negativity in our perceptions.

life is a river

Headwaters

Painting was something I inherently knew I could do. As a kid, I did the popular art aptitude tests from magazines, spent countless hours copying Audrey Young Opal’s Indian and Eskimo children’s faces and spent much of the money I made as a drummer in my dad’s dance band on art supplies. A great deal of the energy at the headwaters of my life was spent on artistic pursuits.

Twists and Turns in the River of Life

While that high energy became dispersed over marriage, children and the workforce, the arts remained in the mainstream as I took painting classes and worked as a crafter and photographer. In my thirties I returned to the classroom to complete a Water Resources Engineering Program (where I learned among other things, the stages of a river system). I followed with a Bachelor of Science Degree and an Environmental Assessment Certificate. The river of hope for a job in my new field eventually became a mere trickle. Although the unemployment period was a bit of a ride over the rapids, it did provide me with time to improve my painting skills. As this period of change gradually became water under the bridge, artistic pursuits grew more prominent in my life.

People on the River are Happy to Give

A move to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1998 opened new doors as I took more art classes and met many artists who welcomed me into their community. In our new Saskatoon home, when my art, equipment, and supplies had spilled its banks and flooded every room, my husband and I discussed with friends how we might make better use of our space. Shortly thereafter, we visited family for a few days and returned home to find a note on the door that said, while you were out. Thanks to great friends, we now had a different bedroom to sleep in, other rooms returned to their intended function, and I had a new studio. This created a river of tears (of joy!) and a proper place to work.

Midlife Confluence

Small streams form tributaries that eventually join to become the main river. At mid-life (I’m being optimistic here) different veins of my life have merged into one where art is integral. I focus on and paint the things that I appreciate at this time in my life, with increasingly fewer distractions.

Life on the Delta

As a river nears its final destination, it slows and the grit that had been carried by the flow settles forming small islands – the river’s delta. On this note, I find myself married to a really cool (and handsome he might add) retired guy, a mom and grandma to my two sons and their families, and blessed with special friends and a having had the experience of living with a good dog. I strive to be fit and healthy so that my most fundamental painting tool, my body, remains able to do the job. Fitness is an art form in itself for those who choose to sculpt their own bodies into healthy form. Partnerships with other artists and explorations through painting cause my own delta islands to continuously build and shift. It’s as if I’ve been panning for gold in my river and found so many nuggets of the purest variety. I’m grateful for all that has come my way.