MaryJo Clark

Artist Statement

Since childhood, art has been an integral part of my life. I have always enjoyed the creative process and have made the study and practice of art my life’s work; from my art making to my more than 30 years as an art educator.
I consider my mixed-media collages to be paper paintings. Selecting papers for their color, texture, and surface, I cut and tear various shapes and arrange them to create unique compositions. In some cases, embellishments of stamps, stencils, or 3-dimensional elements are added to complete the design. I particularly enjoy expressing myself through the non-objective and abstract subject matter of these pieces that, in turn, evoke unique responses from each viewer.
Whether my process is deliberate or intuitive, it involves layering, assessing, and reworking until a composition achieves both balance and harmony, no matter the subject matter.