December’s featured artist is Barry Clark Jr. Barry’s correspondence through writing letters to Arts Visalia, included over 30 beautiful drawings he did while incarcerated. Using found supplies such as book covers and standard issued pencils, he was able to share his love of art with others.
He states, “I now understand myself only after I destroyed myself, and only in the process of fixing myself did I find who I really am artistically and spiritually. Art has enabled me to retain the good/beauty of life. My admiration for the masters of the Renaissance – Rembrandt, Caravaggio, etc. has always influenced my drive for art and my ‘Realism’ style. Pure inspiration I’ve received from hours of studying their use of negative space to their use of light.
My choice of lifestyle wasn’t the best of choices ever made. Through years of addiction and incarceration, only one thing kept me alive, my art and the art of others. I’ve always found ways to create, from use of book covers, folders, to paper and canvas, enabling me to touch hundreds of others through my art.
If I had a chance to erase the negative things I’ve done in my past I would, but I wouldn’t change who I am today. I am proud of who I am and what I’ve become. I am proud to be an artisan.”
You can find some of Barry’s art on the gallery walls as well as in the gift shop. His work has been carefully mounted and shrink wrapped with his story included on the back. Come in and take a look at his variety of pencil drawings.