As part of the activities arranged by our Vocational Service Committee, a few of our club members and guests were privileged to visit the studio of Maidstone-based artist, author, illustrator and humorist Graham Clarke; Graham is known chiefly for his whimsical and often detailed paintings of crowded townscapes, seascapes and for his characteristic portrayal of rural life.
Graham has a fascinating biography – born in the early 1940s, he learned to rely on his imaginative resources during a time of post-war austerity in the UK; over the years he has built on this to create his own artistic niche. Quintessentially English in tone, his artworks (which currently number into the hundreds) capture what his website calls an ‘Englishman’s view of Europe’.
Graham gave the visitors an extremely interesting and revealing talk on the art of etching; his gentle sense of humour came through in his anecdotes and many of the pieces he showed. Members were able to wander freely to take in the intricate details of his works of art – which covered all the walls of his studio. From postcards to large-scale hand-coloured etchings the choice was phenomenal. “Definitely a place to return to,” said one of our enthusiastic visitors!
See more about Graham on his website https://www.grahamclarke.co.uk
