Katie Clarke

STUDIES

2022

Bachelor of Fine Art (Sculpture), National Art School

EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Katie Clarke creates soft sculptures that explore the relationship between the hand-made and the machine-made. Through the use of yarn and scrap metal, her work challenges traditional notions of consistency and perfection associated with the industrial age. Instead, Clarke embraces the unpredictable and the flawed, highlighting the unique qualities of handmade craftsmanship.

Working intuitively with different thicknesses, colours, and textures, Clarke allows abstract forms and shapes to emerge organically. She incorporates scrap metal, which has been discarded or deemed unusable, as a structural element, which she then “fleshes out” with yarn. This blending of the hand-made and the machine-made creates a tension that subverts the predictable processes of industrial textile production, and re-invents traditional handmade crafts. Her work reflects the idea that the hand-made is not less valuable than the machine-made, rather it has the potential for spontaneity and experimentation.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Katie Clarke is an artist based in Sydney, who honed her craft through a Bachelor of Fine Arts program at National Art School. Her primary focus is sculpture, where she particularly displays interest in exploring the interplay between the hand-made and the machine-made. Clarke often integrates scrap metal and crochet/knitted yarn into works to create a dynamic tension between these two mediums. By embracing and emphasising the innate imperfections and flaws within her pieces, she aims to draw attention to the unpredictable and organic nature of handmade craftsmanship. Her work is influenced by the industrial landscape of the suburb in which she was raised, and strives to use scrap metal as a means of connecting with personal history and the broader cultural narrative.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 – February – Harvey Galleries/ NAS Group Show