This Artwork Titled: Jack’s Cow is one of x12 Artworks at Marcus’s current Solo Art Exhibition; Fairy Stories for Lost Child Hoods at Mansfield Library Gallery. On until 25th Feb 2022. It’s inspired by the Fairy Story Jack and the Beanstalk Dim: 60 x 40cm What interested Marcus the most about this story was the Cow and he decided to make the Artwork iconic of the animal. Marcus only previously knew of the Jack and the Beanstalk story through Pantomime. The Panto Cow is a well remembered fun feature of it so he concentrated on making this artwork a portrait of the Cow with the other magical elements included about it. He wanted to make the Portrait thick and painterly unlike the way he had been previously creating art but soon discovered old Collaging habits die hard. So it is part Collage and part Painting. The Cow is of course sold for beans in the story so he’s tried to achieve a balance between joy and horror in this portrait too, as well as a degree of originality. Making of the Artwork Video
“My life’s work in puppetry, children’s television and art creation has all been about connecting with the inner child”. When Marcus Clarke was 14 yrs of age his Step Father worked the night shift at the local Raleigh bicycle factory and his mother was a cleaner in a Care Home. He is Neurodivergent, ADHD. A Cancer Survivor described by DDA. Care Experienced 6 yrs. Including in two National Children's Homes. See the Observer Newspaper Article. Review section about Care Experienced Achievers in which he says, “I decided early on that whatever happened to me, I wasn’t going to be a victims of it”. With regard to his art he says “I use Puppets, Puppet Making materials, tools and glues from my world of work as a Professional Puppet Maker. Puppetry performance objectives, skills and talents from my work as a Professional Puppeteer. Observations from my work as a Backstage Theatre Technician from 1974 to today and I combine these with my Fine Art skills and knowledge. Added to since my teenage years as an art student at Mansfield College of Art. I use canvases, paints and drawing materials. I include found objects, puppets, toys, photo's, antiquities. Jewelry and junk to create imaginative, aesthetic and entertaining art. Sometimes as Paintings, Collages, Assemblages, Films and Installations. My art is not particularly Academic or Analytical. I’ve previously explored the space between the street light and the kerb. Nowadays it's my own self expression drawing on my own life’s experiences and curiosity's. Informed by those of my audiences. By Culture, History, Performance, Theatre and other Artistes and Artists including Duchamp, Degas, August Sander, Gerard Garouste. I want my artwork to inspire people of all ages to be creative, to make art about what they know or don't. Drawing on their world of work, their lives, dreams. I want to encourage Teenagers who don't feel suited to read-write Higher Education, for whatever reason, to seek out other creative learning opportunities. Professional work, outlets and careers in the arts". Marcus’s day job is as a Back Stage Theatre Technician. Roady. A job he first did in local Nottingham Theatres while a schoolboy at 16 yrs of age.
