ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born Essenbach, Germany.
Graduated in Fine Art, RMIT University, Melbourne.
Worked and travelled extensively in England, Ireland, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States.
Lectured in Art: Australia, England and Ireland.
Irene Clark is a painter who exhibits in Sydney and Melbourne.
She was Lady Mayoress of Melbourne 1992 - 1993. Clark's painting of her husband in his Lord Mayoral robes hangs in the Melbourne Town Hall. It is the first time in the Council's 174 year history, where a Lord Mayor's portrait was painted by his wife, whilst both were occupying official, Public Office.
Clark lives and works in Melbourne and Berlin.
From her North Melbourne and Berlin studios, Clark currently works on corporate and private portrait commissions as well as preparing for private solo and other group exhibitions. Since her first solo exhibition in 1991, Clark's work has continued to develop into a strong, painterly style which remains intensely personal. Her individual use of natural light and her play with perspective often infuses her work with a surreal and mysterious quality. The sensuous handling of the oil paint in her work is inspired by the works of Ingres, Goya, Sargent, Hopper, Freud and more recently, the German Romantic Movement of the 19th Century.
Her early, highly detailed paintings, with their illuminated manuscript quality have gradually evolved and developed into a more abstract and less literal style over many years of intensive painting.
In Clark's portrait work, she is known for capturing the spirit and essence of her various subjects. This intuitive skill together with the delicate painting style and subtle use of the intricate glazing techniques from the Old Masters combine to create a rich and lively final image.
In July 2009 and 2010, Clark was invited by Trinity College, The University of Dublin, to conduct a Portrait Painting Workshop at their inaugural Summer School Program for the N.I.I.D. Department.
In April 2015, Clark was diagnosed with a right, shoulder injury which required surgery and a long period of rehabilitation. The injury left her unable to paint for more than two years. In January 2017, she was able to return to her studio, where she is once again engaged in painting portrait commissions, as well as preparing work for a new, solo exhibition.
Clark last exhibition was at Gallery Smith, Melbourne.
HER MANY PORTRAITS INCLUDE:
Sir John Young AC, KCMG , Former Chief Justice/Deputy Governor of Victoria,
Professor Bryan Hudson AO, (Foundation Professor of Medicine, Monash University),
Leo Schofield AO, Arts administrator,
Campbell Mc Comas,
Des Clark, former Lord Mayor, City of Melbourne
Ted Lustig AO,
Professor Allan Fels AO, former Chairman ACCC,
The Hon Richard Alston AO,
Daphne Guinness, Writer,
David Nolte, Pharmacist,
Gabrielle Pizzi, Gallery owner,
Angela Catterns, Broadcaster.
IRENE CLARK IS REPRESENTED IN THE COLLECTIONS OF:
• Melbourne City Council
• Melbourne University
• Monash University
• Monash Medical Centre
• Melbourne Club
• The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne
• D&D Tolhurst
• Blake Dawson Waldron
• Holding Redlich
• Bendigo Regional Gallery
Her works are held in Public, Corporate and Private Collections in Australia, Europe, USA and Japan.
PUBLICATIONS/ARTICLES
2016
A History of the Lady Mayoress's Committee 1959 - 2016. "Celebrating Women in Philanthropy"
2013
Die Reise
Australian Financial Review, Narelle Hooper, Editor AFR BOSS Magazine, January 2013.
2002
Fit Enough to Tackle the Competition
Sydney Morning Herald - The Arts. Guinness, D. May 20.
Our Weird Mob Caught on Canvas
The Sydney Telegraph, Murray, K. May 25.
True Fame, On the Face of It
The Melbourne Herald Sun, Barclay, A. May 29.
2000
That's Rich - A Sexy Pollie
Sydney Morning Herald, Guinness, D. March 3.
Senator Sexy? The Eyes Have It
The Age. Guinness, D. March 3.
Grid Positions For The Archibald
Sydney Morning Herald, Hallett, Bryce. March 11.
1998
Review, Ambitious and Promising
Herald Sun. Makin, Jeff. September 21.
Lady in Red takes Her Revenge
Sydney Morning Herald. Guinness, D. August 31.
Place and Identity
Exhibition Catalogue, Gallery 101, Melbourne.
1995
Candid Cameo
The Age. Tay, M. October 2.
The Artists Eye as Camera
Business Review Weekly, Hooper, N. October.
1994
Portraits of Power and Play
Sydney Morning Herald, Guinness, D. July 20.
Different Strokes
Melbourne Weekly, Ross, E. August 30.
The Art of Forging an Identity
Sunday Herald Sun, Matheson, V. September 25.
1993
Portrait of the Lady as a Fine Artist
The Australian, Guinness, D. April 18.
1992
Art First for Lady Mayoress
The Age, Prendergast, M. October 26.
TELEVISION
2000
The Archibald
The Arts Show, ABC TV. Presenter, Justin Murphy. March.
ILLUSTRATED
Australian Arts Diary, 1993 and 1996.
Look, Art Gallery of NSW, journal, August 1994.
Cover Illustration (Portrait of Mr Ted Lustig AO), Building a Life, Ari Unglick, 2001.