Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Charles Clary. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Charles, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew from a very early age that I wanted to pursue a creative path. My mother was an artist and teacher and I was always fascinated with making. I remember being in 5th grade and working on art projects and mine always took a fantastical turn breaking the boundaries of the assigned project. I cant thank my teachers enough for encouraging these exploits and pushing me to explore my creativity. When I got to college I started out as a graphic design major and quickly realized I missed the tactility of physical media. I switched to a studio major with an emphasis in painting and a minor in illustration, I thrived in this new environment. I soaked everything up like a sponge and began to push the boundaries of the mediums. Early on I became fascinated with collage and how cut paper could be used within my paintings. After graduating with my BFA in painting I took two years off honing my craft and then applied to grad school and attended the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). There I continued my exploration of painting but soon realized it wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do. At that time I was awarded a residency in NYC. While there I had a break through after happening upon a paper store. I bought as much of the medium as I could afford and went back to the studio with a fervor. That was in 2007 and I never looked back.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Charles Clary and I am a paper artist living and working in Conway South Carolina. I am also the Associate Chair of Visual Arts at Coastal Carolina University. I got into the arts at a very young age and knew that this was going to be my career path. I saw the world through a different lens and needed to get that across in some way. I’ve been a professional working artist since 2009 and have had the pleasure of working for clients such as Caribbean Cruise lines, Google, Amazon, the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and many others.

I’ve been a practicing paper artist sine 2007 and push the boundaries of what paper can do and become. I didn’t set out to become a paper artist I just kinda fell into it through happenstance and luck, but took to it very quickly. There is something about the material that is both familiar and unique, fragile yet rigid. I love how the medium connects to a wide demographic as well.

The current work deals with Memento Mori (remember you will die) and Memento Vivere (remember to live). These works are large scale installations that repurpose found frames in a salon style Victorian sitting room focusing on trauma, grief, and loss. These installations become overwhelming and immersive enveloping the viewer.

I think the thing I’m most proud of is how my work transcends what peoples notions of Fine Art is. It become accessible in its craft and visualization. I’m overwhelmed how quickly the viewer connects to the work and finds similarities to their own experiences and collective shared trauma.

I explore multiple bodies of work but the root connection is always cut paper. I often get told that they (the viewer) haven’t seen anything like what I do before, which is a testament to my vision and execution. I’m always blown away that clients seek me out for what I do on a daily basis. I bring their vision to life through my unique style and often get free rein on the execution of each project.

I am lucky enough to be represented by some great galleries including Paradigm Gallery in Philadelphia PA, RO2 in Dallas TX, Art Space 305 in Miami FL, and Grand Bohemian Gallery in Greenville SC.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As I mentioned earlier 2013 was a devastating year for me. Both my parents were diagnosed in 2012 with terminal smoking related cancers. I was extremely close with my mother but my father abandoned me and my siblings at a very young age after a difficult divorce. The news came as a shock and I struggled to come to terms with the eventuality. After their passing (two weeks apart from one another) I found it difficult to work or do much of anything. My world had been rocked. Not only did I have to deal with their passing but all my childhood trauma resurfaced as well. My relationship with my siblings broke down and I was left adrift in my sorrow. After 6 weeks of not making anything I knew that art was going to be my life line back. I began to refocus and create work that addressed grief, trauma, and loss and how I dealt with my mental health. I told myself this was an opportunity to heal myself as well as bring mental health awareness to the forefront of the conversation and hoped my work could help others dealing with similar issues.

10yrs on and I cant tell you how impactful this new work has been and how many people it has touched and the connections that I’ve made to people struggling. It has truly been an honor to make this work and I look forward to how it will evolve and change over the next 10yrs.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think the world needs art more than ever. Imagine going through the pandemic without the lifeline that art provides, whether it’s music, film, fine art, poetry, writing etc. . . It gave us a respite from the horrors we were witnessing. Art is the lifeblood of society, we crave it even if we don’t fully understand it. Art allows us to make the intangible tangible, it allows us to see the world in a new perspective and brings an immense amount of joy and wonderment. We have to support the arts and nurture them at all costs. Stop buying “art” at that big box store and experience your community. Witness the immense amount of talent from your local creatives and craftspeople that are integral to a vibrant community. When you buy local you build community and you support these creatives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://charlesclary.com/
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/charlesclary
• Twitter: Charles Clary
• Other: https://www.paradigmarts.org/
  https://www.ro2art.com/
  https://www.artspace305.co/