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MAKAYLAH CLARK
Artist Bio
Makaylah Clark is a young black artist and lifelong resident of Akron, Ohio. She is a mixed-media artist who explores fantasy escapism. Clark uses personal and common iconography to deepen the meaning of her work. She is inspired by fantasy books, animations, and artists who add their own culture into their work. Clark is working to create more interactive works that allow people a connective experience. Makaylah has been involved in the arts since a young age. She attended Miller South-School the visual and performing arts-for their visual arts program. Clark then attended Firestone High School and participated in Akron school of the Arts-an AP arts program. Throughout her life she has participated as an artist for local projects. Such as the black lives matter mural on Howard street in Akron Ohio. Makaylah has also been a part of local art galleries including Summit Artspace. She continues to be involved in her community and expand her opportunities.
Artist Statement
Fantasy escapism is one of the biggest inspirations behind my art. These past few years, I have been concentrating on the specific feeling literary fantasy evokes and translating that into my art. It is important to me to create art that is centered around black joy and to contradict the amount of media around black suffering.I want black people to see themselves in work that is entirely positive and for nonblack folk to see what blackness can be. Through the combination of fantasy book, mythology, folktale, traditions, Personal iconography, and materials, I create a unique visual experience. The whimsical feel of Dina wynne Jones is what I seek to achieve in my work Visually. For the backdrop of my work-which is Inspired by korean court paintings of landscape-, Evoke the same meaning of power and prosperity. Depictions of phoenixes in my work look like sparrows-a bird that is native to ohio.The combustion of mythology and reality pushes viewers to see the world around them in a more whimsical way. These phoenixes also represent my own aspirations. The white line running through my newest paintings is a recent addition to my iconography dictionary. I noticed across cultures it is common to purposely add a mistake to one's work-each culture having its own meaning -so i've started to include it in mine. This has made me more mindful of how I create my art. My work is also self indulgent as I love to work with glitter and gemstones which reminds me of the materials I had available growing up. I have been working to learn more about different cultural myths and ideologies so I can deepen the meanings and themes in my works . Alongside personal iconography which is how I personally interpret everyday items. What I create is an active display of showcasing black joy, happiness and fantasy. I want my work to show that what we are and what we make as black people can not simply be put into a box. My work has become richer with meaning from the books I read, the people I meet and the places I go. I want to travel more to better myself and my work.
CV
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