Our Artists:

She has arrived

Name: Clare Clark Age: 61 Town: Newport Artistic medium: Acrylic and mixed media Question: Why do you make this type of art?

Answer: My first love was watercolor painting. Teaching art in the public schools and other jobs pulled me away from my art studio. When I finally was able to dive deep into artmaking, I discovered that acrylic paint can be forgiving, playful and spontaneous. Multimedia methods such as collage with paper and paint are more sustainable for me because they are fun.

Q: What does your artwork represent?

A: My art represents joy. Both the subject matter and the process that I experience are joyful. The subject matter than I gravitate to is nature and all its abundance.

Q: What inspires you?

A: Fortunate to be able to explore my passion for art, I create art that is inspired by my home, travels and all my favorite things, like gardening and hiking.

Q: How do you make it?

A: I love to start in a playful way with spontaneous marks with no subject in mind. At first the process is intuitive. I use all kinds of mediums and tools to create texture and history that tell a story. Then, as the layers build, I find a subject to portray using acrylic paint and sometimes collage.

Q: What does your art mean to you?

A: Being an artist gives me an 'I have arrived' feeling because my life is fulfilling and balanced. All the time spent in my studio learning, playing and making mistakes is worth it because it's my comfort, my expression and my way of spreading joy.

Q: Do you have any exhibits coming up?

A: I am preparing for a solo show at Wiley's Downtown Bistro in Spokane during the month of April 2026. Viewing my series called 'Water Your Soul' will be like a walk through a garden in spring.

I am a member of Vessel Co-Op Gallery and Clay Studio in Newport where my art is on display.

Also, I am a member of Evergreen Art Association, a non-profit organization for arts education.

Currently, I offer public and private Paint & Party Events for the fun of it. For more information, check my website clareclarkstudio.com.

Do you know, or are you a Pend Oreille River Valley artist working in the fine or performing arts who would like to be featured in our Lifestyle section? Call 509-447-2433 and ask for Sophia or email sophianewportminer@ gmail.com.

SOPHIA MATTICE-ALDOUS IS A MURROW NEWS FELLOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH NEWSROOMS AT THE NEWPORT MINER AND RANGE MEDIA THROUGH A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. HER REPORTING IS AVAILABLE FOR USE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS WITH CREDIT.