clarke

Magnolia is a small village in Gloucester Massachusetts that tourists know better as Cape Ann. Gloucester is home to the oldest continuous working art colony in the United States. This art colony is found on Rocky Neck and is a mecca for tourists that wish to consume Marine Paintings.

Debbie Clarke doesn't fit into the traditional genre of painting in Gloucester because it has too much of a contemporary edge and can't be pegged down. Debbie is however considered to be the best draughtsman and independent art teacher in the area. Debbie describes herself as an anomaly, because, "I am a native Cape Ann Artist, my first training came from my father, he painted as a serious hobby, there was always a painting on the easel in his bedroom." Once when Debbie was ten years old, she, "decided that there was something wrong with the way that he was painting the clouds, so I carefully mixed up paint and corrected his painting". For which she "caught a whooping.

Clarke graduated with highest honors in painting and received the McIvor Reddie Scholarship and Cash Award from The Art Institute of Boston

Debbie says, "I live in Magnolia because the light is gorgeous, the ocean effects on atmospheric conditions cause the light to continually change and the shadows from mid-summer on into fall are the deepest that I have ever seen. Other that the sheer beauty of the area I like being rooted in community. We moved here when my daughter was 3, the extensive woods, accessibility to the ocean and lots of families with kids make this the perfect place to raise children. 'it takes a village to raise a child' is the way of life here."

I asked Debbie Clarke what she has found most difficult, living as an artist?

Debbie - "Nothing. I am an artist, and don't know any other way of being in the world. Money, sometimes is an issue, but, I don't worry.....things have always worked out. The toughest part was art school. I sometimes had to decide between eating and painting. I often went hungry so that I could buy a tube of paint."

I know that in everyone's life there are turning points, I personally divide my life up by the years in which turning points happened, so I asked Debbie about turning points in her life.

Debbie - "There are lots of turning points, small epiphanies. The greatest challenge to me, the major stuff of my character building was my conflict with my father. He was domineering, physically and sexually violent towards his family....he was deeply troubled, extremely talented, and intelligent. I spent most of my life trying to stay safe from this troublesome man. The biggest turning point has to be when I entered therapy at age 35, diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. The process was 10 years, writing and art were integral to the therapeutic process, during these years I made lots of art about abuse and healing."

After seeing some of her work and the titles, I was curious about her beliefs at the core of her life.

Debbie - "That the essential nature of the universe is love....that we humans are loved....that people are essentially good....that life has value and that all people should be treated with dignity and respect."

How has love changed your life?

Debbie - "The desire to be love and loving is the core experience of my life, always has been, probably always will be. One interesting thing, when I am painting, fully engaged, I am in love in that present moment, to the exclusion of all else."

I don't think I'll ever ask an artist the following question again, but I did receive a great answer from Debbie when I asked. How would you term your art?

Debbie - "I don't. I am fully creative and follow where the spirit calls. The art world with all of its labels has a hard time with this, wanting to peg an artist with a 'term'. The 'term' only serves to make the public feel as if they fully understand, I turn a deaf ear to most art blab. I rarely read art magazines or reviews, I rarely go to art exhibits. What other people are doing or saying about art has a way of throwing me off track, so, I don't listen. Generally, I draw, I paint, I fold paper, I tear paper, I glue Paper, I tie things together, I write. My subjects: the self-portrait, the standing figure, the beauty of paint on glass with metal leaf, I write icons, sometimes I do still life, sometimes I do landscape, I am the vehicle of art."


black madonna	blue joss

Do you have an emotional attachment to your work?

Debbie - "If there's a strong emotional attachment I will not sell the work. I have a body of work covering 25 years of self portraits. I no longer sell the self-portraits. I want to keep them together as a relational body of work, they will probably either be sold intact or gifted to a museum upon my death. I personally think this is my strongest and most valuable work that I will be remembered by."

Finally, I was curious about the local arts community where she lives.

Debbie - "The arts community here is very close knit, and somewhat of an old-school mentality. I have affinity with younger artists and those with a more contemporary view than the quaint genre painters this area is known for. I have received attention because I have the largest body of work by a living woman artist on permanent exhibition in the prestigious Cape Ann Historical Museum, and I have managed to keep a store front art studio for 6 years. I provide exhibition space for other artists that I admire."


majenta joss.	prayer flag