Her art reflects a restrained playfulness, approached through vulnerable creativity.
Bobby Clark’s New Geometric Artworks Centre Around Symmetry and Balance
Her art reflects a restrained playfulness, approached through vulnerable creativity.
Melbourne-based artist Bobby Clark has gained a dedicated following over the last few years for her distinctive geometric paintings. Her art reflects a restrained playfulness, approached by the artist through vulnerable creativity.
Her collection of seven graphic artworks for the first-ever Bed Threads Gallery is no different and exudes a modern yet refined elegance. These works centre around symmetry and balance, vulnerably portraying her interactions with the world through a precise form.
Created on homemade cotton paper and framed in Victorian Ash, these artworks will bring an organic feel into your home.
We spoke to Bobby about what a typical day for her as an artist looks like and her advice for anyone looking to build an art collection.
Hi Bobby! We're thrilled to feature some of your original works as part of our inaugural Bed Threads Gallery. Where did the inspiration for this collection come from?
When creating the works for The Bed Threads Gallery I wanted to explore the juxtaposition of using structured mediums to create fluid forms. Experimenting with gold and silver leaf these works are abstract studies of the human form and reflect the way our bodies move through spaces – how the structure of our form can give aesthetic queues to our character.
Talk us through your choice of materials. Which media do you love to work with?
My favourite medium to work on is paper. I love the fragility and texture of the cotton. It is a very unforgiving surface that requires discipline and concentration. As I leave the paper raw and unprimed, not a single mistake can be made.
What does a typical day look like working as an artist?
No two days are the same. Although I am a full-time artist, I also work as a creative director, photographer, and creative consultant so I break my weeks down into projects. My days always start with a walk and a coffee with my son before I head to work. A day in the studio always starts with resetting my space by setting up my tools for the day and sorting my desk. I need everything to be clean and organised and in straight lines. I usually begin with some research to get my mind into whatever project I am working on. Then I light a candle and set my mood with music before beginning to paint, draw, or design. I like to work intensely on one thing at a time and reset in between. I always work up to the final minute before I head off home.
How has your style evolved over the years?
I’m a slow burner. I really need to exhaust a project or style before I feel ‘done’ with it. Although I am constantly generating new ideas I like to fully explore each new phase. I think I am learning to become a little more expressive in a controlled way. I am evolving through colour and form and expanding my minimalist studies, although shape is still a huge theme in my work.
How do you stay motivated to keep creating?
I guess it’s just in my blood. I rarely let myself sit in my achievements, I’m always straight onto the next thing. It’s something I’ve been thinking about recently. I don’t allow myself enough grace to pause and reflect on completed projects. I guess the day you stop striving to do better or more is the day you are done.
Can you tell us a bit about why you think art is important to have in a home?
For me, art is so important. I grew up surrounded by it. I get so much from art, having it around my home makes it feel… like home. It builds a story of who we are visually – of what inspires us, teaches us, and makes us feel. I have a huge emotional attachment to the pieces in my home. I don’t come from wealth and have worked extremely hard for the life I live. Buying my first piece of fine art was a big moment for me.
What is your advice for anyone looking to build an art collection?
I can only give advice from my own experience and my own means. I bought slowly. I really consider the pieces I have at home and how they will sit in the space and which rooms they will suit best. Our art collection really makes our home. I always keep an eye out for up-and-coming artists as not only are you supporting an artist early in their career, but it is also more affordable. Also in saying this, if I got cashed up tomorrow and had no limits I would go straight out and buy a Tom Polo.
Shop one-off original artworks at Bed Threads Gallery.
For more from Bobby, follow her on Instagram @bobbyclark____
