1999 – Oval Works Series at Gallery One, Toronto,
by Goldie Konopny
Ann Clarke is an artist with whom I feel a personal bond. Gallery One has been fortunate to exhibit her work for the past twenty-odd years. She is an artist who has pushed abstract expressionism to a new height.
The large scale works that we will be exhibiting have a monumental quality to them. They are beautifully executed in acrylic paint, pencil, chalk and ink on oversized paper. They are reminiscent of Jackson Pollack’s works of the 1950’s, yet are uniquely her own. With their immense scale these paintings are lyrical and energetic; the gestural surfaces are loose, yet explicit and defined. They have a physicality and expressionist agitation. These stunning paintings on paper are not accidental at all. In a very studied way, Clarke has attempted to remove any sort of structure. The colours are dry and gritty – blacks, browns and grays with a predominant white wash, evoking Mark Tobey’s white paintings.
I recall a visit to Ann’s studio here in Toronto, not so long ago, together with the late legendary clement Greenberg. I remember her courage in deciding to show and openly discuss her work with him. He was opinionated as only he could be, but also encouraging and supportive of what she was doing.
Ann is an established artist who has worked very hard at her career. She is someone who has that drive that we all admire in an artist who chooses to pursue her special goal. Most recently Ann was awarded a Canada Council Senior Grant and spent last year in England as an Honorary Research fellow at The Slade School of Art. She has exhibited across Canada and internationally and has works in most prominent public and private Canadian collections. She teaches art and is Chair of the art department at Lakehead University in Thunder bay.
by Goldie Konopny
Ann Clarke is an artist with whom I feel a personal bond. Gallery One has been fortunate to exhibit her work for the past twenty-odd years. She is an artist who has pushed abstract expressionism to a new height.
The large scale works that we will be exhibiting have a monumental quality to them. They are beautifully executed in acrylic paint, pencil, chalk and ink on oversized paper. They are reminiscent of Jackson Pollack’s works of the 1950’s, yet are uniquely her own. With their immense scale these paintings are lyrical and energetic; the gestural surfaces are loose, yet explicit and defined. They have a physicality and expressionist agitation. These stunning paintings on paper are not accidental at all. In a very studied way, Clarke has attempted to remove any sort of structure. The colours are dry and gritty – blacks, browns and grays with a predominant white wash, evoking Mark Tobey’s white paintings.
I recall a visit to Ann’s studio here in Toronto, not so long ago, together with the late legendary clement Greenberg. I remember her courage in deciding to show and openly discuss her work with him. He was opinionated as only he could be, but also encouraging and supportive of what she was doing.
Ann is an established artist who has worked very hard at her career. She is someone who has that drive that we all admire in an artist who chooses to pursue her special goal. Most recently Ann was awarded a Canada Council Senior Grant and spent last year in England as an Honorary Research fellow at The Slade School of Art. She has exhibited across Canada and internationally and has works in most prominent public and private Canadian collections. She teaches art and is Chair of the art department at Lakehead University in Thunder bay.