The abstract language of multidisciplinary artist Bobby Clark is one of vulnerability and openness.
Highly considered and minimalist in her approach, her paintings speak in metaphors. Searching for balance amongst curves, points, lines and colours, she gives form to feelings and internal reflections. Her recently commissioned work for Framer, titled ‘UZUY’, is a celebration of this - holding a sense of calm, zest and vibrancy in equal measure.
Bobby has forged her own path, traversing continents and disciplines to develop her distinct style. As a Scottish native that now calls Melbourne home, she studied art, fashion and textiles in the UK before relocating down under. Gaining experience in a number of eclectic jobs, Bobby was able to launch her own practice in 2016. “Melbourne is what cultivated my career, a career that was always an unattainable dream back home. This city has such an exciting vibrancy, I am constantly surrounded by incredible people, art and places.”
Working out of her home studio in Thornberry, Bobby’s creative routine is structured. A clean and organised space is necessary for work to flow organically. Her auditory choice is guided by her project of the day, harmonising genre’s with the cadence and emotion of her work. “I have playlists for painting which are mostly classical, no words, low tempo, and for computer work or designing I have playlists that match my pace. If I need to lift the vibe it’s house, if I am stressed something low-fi.”
Heavily influenced by the likes of Sonia Delauny and Hilma af Klint, Bobby’s deep exploration into abstraction sees her crafting harmonised forms rendered in soft earthy tones. Thriving within strict boundaries, Her process demands her full focus. Painting primarily on handmade paper, she relishes in the fragility and unforgiving nature of raw materials, an ongoing test of her patience and concentration.
Using mediums such as acrylics, pen and pastels, Bobby allows her ideas to develop and build on the page instinctively, letting shapes and colours find her. “I let the artwork flow through intuition. I don’t pre plan my colours or composition. I see where the shapes take me.”
Openness and vulnerability are qualities Bobby seeks out in herself and those around her. This is the way she interprets her surroundings, seeking a common thread between subject, people and place. “For me, the most beautiful thing a person can do is show their vulnerability. They may seem like ‘just shapes’ but there is always something under the surface.”
Words by Paddy Ferguson
Framer acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, work and create. We pay respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
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