Rachel Clark Biography
As a professional painter 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 acclaimed 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
Rachel Clark Exhibitions 2009/10
The Royal Academy Summer Show
The Clifford Chance Award Show
The Curwen Gallery London
The Rectory Gallery London
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.
"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:
- 'TESTAMENT', a series of abstract paintings
- '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.
