Artist Statement/ Biography

Inspired by childhood and the enigmas that surround it, Clarke’s work explores themes of memory, mystery, and the passing of time. The figures in her paintings appear distant, confronting the viewer as if from another time. Sometimes isolated, these individuals are absorbed into their backgrounds, evoking the anxiety of being controlled by one's surroundings. Referencing old family photos, childhood memories and found images, Clarke allows the paint to interpret what is often overlooked or forgotten. In this way, the reference becomes a small piece in her process, and the end result is the memory and feeling she has from it.

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Cathleen Clarke was born in Chicago, IL in 1988, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. She received her master’s degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA in 2014. She has exhibited her work in numerous group shows in the US and internationally, as well as two solo shows in San Francisco, CA. Cathleen was recently chosen as a finalist for the Hopper Prize Award and earned 3rd Place Honorable Mention Award for the Midwest Open show at Woman Made Gallery, 2018.