I adore Michelle Hero Clarke’s style! It’s fresh and loose and so very fabulous. I see a bit of a Charles Sovek likeness to her work (especially her architectural paintings), at times a little Eric Hopkins (the swirls in the water and some of the clouds)… which make this a style uniquely her own. Her paintings are fresh and have great movement.  You really get a sense of the place… Michelle has several paintings of Monhegan, and let me tell you she captures the feeling perfectly… be sure to check out her website, it’s full of wonderful paintings!

I love this “Monhegan Woods” painting… it so reminds me of walking through Cathedral Woods, the beauty, the peace, the silence… ahhhhhh! Just by looking at this painting I feel happy! That’s what art should do. Make you happy, or make you feel something!

Another stunning piece… I love how she did the rocks, the water… ahhhh, I want to have this kind of style!

Read a blip about Michelle from her website…

Painting landscapes provides me with a way to respond and record not only my observations of a place but my subjective experience of it as well. In my artwork I am primarily interested in capturing the essence of places as I perceive them, rather than documenting a photo-realistic scene. All of my artwork is done “plein air”. I paint on–site, and always from life rather than using photographs as references. I find this method the most effective in that it allows me to fully immerse myself in the sensations of the moment.  When painting outside, the biggest challenge for me as an artist is dealing with the potential for rapid change. Light, color, and subject are all in a state of flux. A cloud can move, changing the shadows and intensity of colors, or a dense fog may roll in, obscuring what had been my subject but creating new opportunities.  Responding to these constant changes gives a sense of urgency and immediacy to the act of painting, which I find very energizing. I rarely go back into my paintings and rework them in the studio.  I like to keep the images fresh, authentic, and representative of how I experienced being in that place at that time.  I emphasize elements that strike me; the movement of the water,the interplay of colors, or the thoughts and feelings that I have in response to a particular visual experience.  Each painting I make enhances my appreciation and awareness of the richness of life around me, and I try to share these vivid moments through my artwork. 

The media and materials I use consist of a mixture of alkyd and oil paints on handmade wood panels which I will sometimes layer with primed canvas but often just seal with an acrylic wood varnish.  For larger work, I may use stretched canvases as they are lighter weight and easier to carry in the field.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

All images via Michelle Hero Clarke’s website: www.mheroclarke.com

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…  Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich that is HEALTHY? Whoa!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…  Artist to watch… Phillip Frey!