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Rachel Clark Biography

Rachel Clark has established a reputation as an abstract artist, a portrait painter and printmaker. Her CV includes the prestigious John Moore's and Pacesetters exhibitions, the National Portrait Gallery's BP Portrait Awards, the Printmaker's Council Student Award and her selection for the 2009 Clifford Chance Award. She is currently Artist in Residence at the London Metropolitan University.

Rachel Clark has worked as a professional artist since graduating in 1976 with a First Class Honours Degree (Painting and Printmaking) from West Surrey College of Art and Design. She has an MA in Printmaking from Camberwell College of Arts. Her time is divided between her work as a practising artist and running her life painting and drawing school in London.

"Abstract painting is a way for me of connecting the inner and outer world. My work as a portrait painter is in fact the same but with more obvious emphasis on the outer."
Rachel Clark

Education

1976 - First Class Honours Degree, Painting and Printmaking WSCAD
2009 - MA Printmaking, Camberwell College of Arts

Awards

2009 - Printmakers Council Student Award

Forthcoming Exhibitions

2013 Curwen Gallery solo show (Autumn)

Recent Exhibitions include

2012 RE Open Bankside Gallery London
Bite Mall Galleries London
Discerning Eye Mall Galleries London
2012 Curwen Gallery group show
2011 London - Florence Exchange Exhibition, Candid Gallery London
Il Bisonte Gallery Florence
A4 Printmakers Open Poly Arts Centre, Falmouth
Discerning Eye Mall Galleries London
2010 Curwen Gallery London
Rectory Gallery London
'Printworks' Unit 2 Gallery London
The Royal Academy Summer Show
Printmakers Council Bankside Gallery London
Chamalières Triennale Auvergne France
2009 The Royal Academy Summer Show
Clifford Chance Award Show

Previous Exhibitions

Major open shows include New Contemporaries, John Moore's XI, Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, National Portrait Gallery BP Portrait Awards, Pacesetters, and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. She has regularly taken part in exhibitions at venues such as Camden Arts Centre, London; Asage Art Gallery, New York; St Paul's Gallery, Leeds; Morley Gallery, London; Knapp Gallery, London; and in addition Welsh Arts Council touring shows.

Residencies

2010/11, 2011/12 Artist in Residence London Metropolitan University
2012 (June ) Brison's Veor, Cornwall

Public and Corporate Collections

Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge
Maudsley Hospital London

"First impressions of Rachel Clark's work can be misleading, for she appears to paint two entirely contrasting types of subjects: portraits and abstracts. But there is no dichotomy, no separate agenda or significantly different way of thinking or creating in these pictures. They are equally sincere and equally powerful in their means of expression and impact."
Robin Capon
Art critic & writer

Self-Managed Artist

Regular sales and commissions from a wide range of clients characterises studio life for Rachel Clark as a self-managed artist.

Rachel holds studio exhibitions featuring her abstract paintings, prints and portrait commissions. She also runs her highly regarded private life drawing school in her large, light and airy professional studio in Poplar's former Spratts warehouse. Students enjoy the benefit of receiving one-to-one painting and drawing tuition from a practising artist.

Rachel Clark has recently completed two large projects:

  1. 'TESTAMENT', a series of abstract paintings
  2. 'CONTENTIOUS & INFLUENTIAL', a series of contemporary portraits of influential and contentious British Subjects. Those who sat include the late Mrs Mary Whitehouse CBE, ex-DAC Brian Paddick, Sir Bernard Ingham, Tariq Ali, Michael Mansfield QC, Edward Bond, Bruce Kent, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Professor James Lovelock, Dawn Airey and Rabbi Julia Neuberger.

Her portrait paintings, abstract paintings and prints are found in private collections, in the UK and abroad. Her work can be seen in two books, Drawing Figures, and Oil Painting Portraits, both published by Dorling Kindersley. She participated in a Channel 4 TV series in which she was invited to teach life drawing to guest celebrities; she has run special courses for animators working on the first Harry Potter video game and for designers in the BBC Creative Department.

Contact Rachel Clark

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Malakh  from the series 'Testament' by abstract artist and portrait painter  Rachel Clark
Malakh

colour etching an original print by Rachel Clark in an edition of twenty five
Thank You Wandsworth and Goodbye

portrait of Christopher Haydon by portrait painter and abstract artist Rachel Clark, an established professional painter
Chris Haydon

professional artist Rachel Clark established as a portrait painter and abstract artist offers drawing tuition at her life drawing school
Life painting & drawing school