Neve Clarke is a visual Fine Artist currently based in Falmouth, UK where she is studying Fine Art in her Third year at Falmouth University. Instagram: @neve.clarke.art

Clarke’s work probes the complexities of existing in harmony with the wider-world, through forming collaborations with the non-human and the land that surrounds her. Clarke creates visual conversations with living, organic forms, exploring the consciousness of plants and other non-human entities. Using printmaking and drawing to visualise these encounters, she is able to create work with a sensitive and quiet presence; exploring the untouchable and the quiet. The marks on her work act as a visual lettering within the language she has created, and documents the presence of these non-human forms in a minimal, reductive way. Each of her prints represents a unique ‘conversation’, with Clarke acting as the translator between herself and these non-human entities. Sometimes these conversations aren’t just visual. Her series ‘In the silence I hear you’ is about a more tactile and physical understanding.

The series ‘In the silence I hear you’, was created as a further development upon forming non-verbal conversations with the non-human. Using mark-making to achieve this, Clarke gathered rubbings from the non-human forms within the landscape so that the embossings have the tactile lettering of the land present.

Clarke then responds to this using intuitive mark-making and drawing techniques allowing for a contemporary visual language to start to take place. Each mark acts as visual lettering within this encounter, as Clarke aims to talk and understand the forms she is working with. With the absence of form, each print creates a space for the viewer to interpret the abstract visual language of the non-human in a contemplative and intimate way. This allows for the viewer to connect and engage with the land through her work.

Clarke often returns to the landscape where these works were created, in order to give the conversation back to the land, ensuring a conversation between artist, nature and the artistic process itself.

Where would you like your work to take you?

Over the next couple of years I will strive to see how I can develop printmaking in more contemporary ways and to continue exploring interspecies relationships and understanding the land that surrounds me further. 

I would love to be a full-time artist or to work as an artist alongside working at a gallery. I’m currently a co-manager at Amphitrite Gallery in Falmouth, a start-up gallery aiming to show the work of emerging artists. I love being able to work with other young artists and to help give them the opportunities to show their work in a public space – it’s very rewarding. 

Why do you find printmaking is the best way to translate your ideas?

The process of printmaking feels very reflective and it really allows me to consider the themes present in my work, and how I can translate these ideas onto paper. The tactile process of printmaking feels very immersive and by taking the time to understand and learn about the process and to then use this to communicate my ideas to my audience feels very important to me. 

Why are you drawn so heavily to nature as inspiration?

I find such solace in the landscape and It’s often one of the only places that I feel truly at peace. In times of difficulty within my life, I always return to the landscape whether that’s swimming in the sea, walking along coast paths or simply immersing myself in being outside in the land. The natural world can have a powerful way of lifting us up and giving us what we need.

Can you list a couple other creatives/friends/people you look to for inspiration?

I draw inspiration from so many creatives both established within the contemporary arts as well as younger artists who are still starting out their careers. Some contemporary artists whose work I look to are Alan Charlton, Martin Roth, David Hockney and Georgia O’Keefe to name a few. Some emerging artists who inspire me are Amy-Leigh Bird, a wonderful printmaker and founder of letstalkaboutprint, an online platform dedicated to showing the work of contemporary female printmakers (@amyleighbirdprints). Hester Ellis – she dyes fabrics using found natural materials and the process is just beautiful (@hesterm.e) and the stunning prints of Olivia Lucy (olivialucy.craft). 

One creative who has influenced my work a lot is Tudor Humphries – I met him by winning an art competition when I was about 8 or 9, he was the illustrator judging the competition. We wrote letters to each other quite regularly after that competition and he gave me advice on drawing, navigating the art world and how to be a more confident artist. We still keep in touch to this day and he is someone I often look to for inspiration.