Bio

Clark is an New Zealand contemporary Oil painter and Mural artist From Central Otago. Clark opened DYED studio in Wellington with a few friends in 2023 that quickly became a hub for Artists in the city. In his practice he focuses on figurative subject matter and portraiture. Constantly pushing himself to try new areas of art, Clark loves to experiment and try notoriously difficult subject matter. In his work he wants to portray an honest and striking image to elicit emotion and a sense of imaginative, disrupted realism.

Clark has shown work all across New Zealand and has been a finalist in the Adam portrait award three times, including third place winner in 2024. He was a finalist in the Molly Morpeth Canaday award in 2024, the Academy art prize 2025 and the Parkin Prize in 2025. Galleries of note that have hosted Clarks work in Solo and group shows are listed below.

Te Auhaha, Wellington 

Gallery Twentysix, Wellington

Studio one toi tu, Auckland

Depot artspce, Auckland

Thistle hall, Wellington

Webb's, Wellington 

Boyd-Dunlop, Napier

Depot artspace, Auckland

National Portrait Gallery, Wellington

Milford Galleries, Dunedin

Statement

In my artistic pursuit, Breathing vitality into an oil painted image is what I aim to accomplish. Taking the still image and collaging the subject to evoke motion and emotion is something I take great pride in doing. I prefer to study the quiet and contemplative moments in everyday life and use my knowledge of traditional painting to inject power behind it.

I find profound beauty in disrupting the static nature of canvas, introducing an element of chaos that mirrors the transience of fleeting moments in time. Through this deliberate disruption I invite the viewer to interpret and unravel the layers of meaning nestled within. 

Painting in a realistic style allows me to convey my unique perspective on the tangible world. Through the interplay of colour, shadow and form I strive to capture the essence of reality while transcending its constraints.