Artist Interview: Noel Clark

I was creeping on your Instagram this morning and ended up liking a lot of really colorful prints and designs of kittens. I noticed the color palettes change every so often and it made me wonder, what causes the shift in your color palettes and how do you choose them? 

I really like bright colors and playing with different color combinations.  I change colors frequently because finding new colors that work together is part of the fun of being an artist.  I get lost in the flow of just picking colors that harmonize.  But sometimes, lots of color overwhelms my eye, so I simplify everything by working in black and white.  Color choice often follows my mood at the time I’m creating.

You have a very unique and playful style, has it always been that way or is it something that’s been developed with time? 

Thank you.  When I was younger, sometimes my art contained darker themes.  One time, I made a paper mache wall hanging in my college dorm that looked like a dark face being pushed out of the wall.  It was all about expressing something I was going through at the time, but I ultimately decided that I didn’t like looking at art that made me feel sad or afraid, so I didn’t want to create art like that either.  

We really enjoyed the story that went along with your piece. It came to life all by itself and we could really see the connection between the narrative and the design. Does this happen with a lot of your creations? Does each piece have a specific story or memory? 

Typically, images emerge for me somewhat intuitively, so I don’t usually have a story or memory in mind on a conscious level when creating them.  For the bus stop design, I deliberately set out to create work with images that were relatable to everyone.  I wanted the work to be simple enough that a child could look at it and talk about it, but complex enough that it might prompt a story or memory in the mind of an adult.  I wanted to give people a reason to pause and look at it.     

I really hope you either write and/or illustrate a book. Have you ever thought of it or any plans on it? 

I have considered book illustration, yes.  I love collaboration and doing illustration in my own style.

Who are a few local artists that you really enjoy? 

I enjoy the work of Todd Mrozinski and Thea Kovak.