Meet Athlone Clarke | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Athlone Clarke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Athlone, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’m not sure I pursued an artistic career. At times it feels more like the artistic urges pursued me. It would be analogous to asking a migratory bird why it chooses to fly south for thousands of miles every year. For me, living a creative life is deeply instinctual and so the business aspect becomes more of a byproduct.

The truth is, my wife is mostly responsible for making the business calculations, and that usually frees me up to do what I do best, which is to create. Maybe the secret of running any successful business is learning how to delegate.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think of myself as a mixed media artist, which basically means that I work with whatever resources are available. I believe that the ‘found objects’ I work with have memory and energy. I have no preconceived ideas before starting a project, nor do I have a sketch. I go from moment to moment and I trust my intuition. I like being spontaneous, but ironically, I also understand that spontaneity often needs practice. I have gotten to where I am professionally because I see the value in challenges. I believe that there are no mistakes, only lessons. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that true courage is not the absence of fear but rather, pushing through even when fear is present. The main thing I want the world to know about me is that, I trust my work to be far more eloquent than anything I could personally say myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Truthfully, I’m not much of a social butterfly. I tend to enjoy solitude. If I felt compelled to entertain a visitor I’d probably take them to Scotts Antiques Show which runs for 4:days of the second weekend in every month. My favorite vegan Indian restaurant is called Chat Pati,. I find it to be very affordable and the food is always served fresh. Finally, if there happens to be an art show in town, I’m likely to be there as an art lover who enjoys browsing and buying.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My son Cory Clarke is the CEO of his own clothing line, OUTDARE, and I’m deeply inspired by his willingness to bet on his own personal attributes. He has had to hold down a regular 9-5 job in order finance the dream of being independent and self sustaining. I respect that. His mantra is, “big is not necessarily better” and that allows him to solidly build without the pressure of trying to impress the critics.

Website: https://www.athloneclarke.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athloneclarke

Facebook: https://facebook.com/athloneclarke