Josh Clare is a remarkable landscape painter who impressed me with his controlled, yet painterly brushwork and his peaceful depictions of the landscape. I reached out to him with some questions about his life and work as an artist. The questions and his answers are below, along with some of his beautiful paintings:
- Q: How Would You Best Describe Your Style and Work?
- Q: Which Deceased Artists Are You Inspired By?
- Q: Which Living Artists Are You Inspired By?
- Q: It Looks Like You Paint Mostly in Oils. Do You Enjoy Using Any Other Mediums?
- Q: What Subjects Inspire You Most?
- Q: I See You Studied Art at Byu-Idaho. Did You Enjoy Your Studies? Was It Challenging? How Did You Find the Transition From Studying Art to Making It as a Full-Time Artist?
- Q: What Have Been Your Biggest Challenges in Working as a Fine Artist?
- Q: Do You Have Any Advice for Those Who Want to Learn Fine Art?
- Q: Where Can We Find Your Work?
- Want to Learn More?
- Thanks for Reading!
(Before diving into this post, make sure to pick up a copy of my free Landscape Painting Starter Kit.)
Q: How Would You Best Describe Your Style and Work?
Truthism. At least that’s what I’m aiming for. Realism is too broad an umbrella, including work that is far from truthful because (oddly) it’s filled with too much information. The label ‘Impressionism’ comes close-but it is too broad as well, encompassing work that is simply loose for looseness sake and that doesn’t even approach accuracy or truth. So my style is truthism: a constant striving for the beauty and truth I find in nature.
Q: Which Deceased Artists Are You Inspired By?
Oh boy. So many. Sargent and Sorolla simultaneously depress and inspire me. And because they’re so often mentioned together, it’s worth noting here that Zorn leaves me cold. Technically he’s astounding, it’s not his mastery of the medium that I object to but the way his paintings make me feel. I don’t like the guy. Super harsh and super judgmental considering I know next to nothing about his life, but I’ve spent time in front of his paintings (the actual works-not just pictures) and there’s no light in them. That’s one of the most miraculous things about paintings: who we are as humans, our desires and our motives, and our thoughts get bound up in the pigment and sticks. Paintings tell more about the man who made them than any biography ever could.
The Russians are my heroes. I love the way their work feels-especially the itinerants: Abram Arkhipov, Valentin Serov, Illya Repin, Issac Levitan, Kramskoy, Shishkin, Polenov and the rest. Their work speaks to me more profoundly than any work I’ve ever seen. They were masters of their craft and they painted right from the heart-their art is deeply felt and fearlessly and passionately executed. Just ridiculously tasty stuff. I want to be like them when I grow up.
The golden age illustrators in America have always inspired me-such fearless work. Harvey Dunn, NC Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, JC Leyendecker, Dean Cornwell, Harry Anderson, Haddon Sundblom… the list goes on.
And there were some terrific American impressionists: Hanson Puthuff, Edgar Payne, John Carlson, Maynard Dixon, Walter Ufer, Victor Higgins, Frank Tenney Johnson-I’ll throw Nicolai Fechin in here since he lived in America for such a long time.
One of the most poetic painters I’ve ever encountered is Emil Carlsen. Holy smokes that guys stuff rocks my world! I still can’t believe how right it feels. I think Sorolla, Harvey Dunn, and Emil Carlsen would stand at the forefront of the ‘truthism’ movement, were such a thing.
Q: Which Living Artists Are You Inspired By?
Oh boy. So many. T.A. Lawson, Bill Anton, Glen Dean, Mike Malm, Grant Redden to name a very small handfull
Q: It Looks Like You Paint Mostly in Oils. Do You Enjoy Using Any Other Mediums?
I’ve recently started experimenting with acrylic, but no, not really. I decided right from the start that I would focus on mastering oil, and if I ever figure oil out I’ll move on. I’m still trying to figure it out.
Q: What Subjects Inspire You Most?
Anything that God has created inspires me-endlessly-and anything he shines his light on. So pretty much everything inspires me. The trick is to experience it without a filter, without a camera or a phone, so that nothing stands between me and the thing I’m painting, I’m inspired.
Q: I See You Studied Art at Byu-Idaho. Did You Enjoy Your Studies? Was It Challenging? How Did You Find the Transition From Studying Art to Making It as a Full-Time Artist?
I was blessed to study at BYU-Idaho! Absolutely amazing instructors who taught me everything I know about painting. I worked my tail off-which is why it was such a great experience. After I graduated I taught there for three years, introduction to oil and drawing and design classes.
It was the perfect transition into full-time fine art. Art school stretched me and helped me to grow, but it was nothing compared to the growth that can happen when you’re required to teach others how to draw and paint. I got into a gallery in Jackson Hole a week after I graduated and was selling and producing work in addition to teaching part-time. We just waited until gallery sales looked like they’d be enough for squeak by on before making the jump into full-time fine art.
Q: What Have Been Your Biggest Challenges in Working as a Fine Artist?
I have an experimentation disease. I’ve limited myself to oil-thank heavens-but there is so much to explore within the broad confines of ‘oil painting’ and I’ve explored a whole lot of it. I’m constantly trying a new surface, a new gesso, a new brand of paint, a new medium. I’ve learned a lot from experimenting and maybe someday I’ll be grateful for my affliction-but it’s something I’ve really struggled with.
Q: Do You Have Any Advice for Those Who Want to Learn Fine Art?
Yes. Paint your guts out, joyfully, and paint from life.
Q: Where Can We Find Your Work?
You can find my work on my website or Instagram.
Want to Learn More?
You might be interested in my Painting Academy course. I’ll walk you through the time-tested fundamentals of painting. It’s perfect for absolute beginner to intermediate painters.
Thanks for Reading!
I appreciate you taking the time to read this post and I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with friends.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
Thank you Dan for sharing Josh Clare’s paintings! Amazing and especially so because I had never heard of him! Really interesting insight and inspirational.
Thank you for sharing this Dan!!
Thank you for introducing us to Josh Clare! What remarkable and beautiful paintings and excellent advice. Thanks to both of you!
Another great post, thanks Dan.
And another ‘ism’ to contend with. Odd to hear an artist identify with an ‘ism’, normally they shy away from that kind of thing. Guess it’s different if you’re coining it. And ‘truthism’ makes more sense than most.
Landscapes need to be special to get my attention, but Moose Creek is amazing…
Thank you for sharing this! You can feel the passion he has for painting and his paintings are amazing! Very inspiring! Thanks Dan for your wonderful emails I enjoy them all!
Thank you so much for this. His sunlight is truly awesome; almost makes me reach for sunglasses. Never heard of him but LOVE his work and will look for more of it for inspiration.
I feel inspired just by looking at Josh Clare’s paintings and also knowing the reason behind his painting were inspired by God’s creations. Thank you Dan, these are wonderful.
Thank you for sharing, very inspiration and helpful ideas,
Thank you Dan. After reading this I want to get my oils out and try something new. Love his enthusiasm and the light in his paintings are a delight. Will look for more of his work.
This was perhaps the most enlightening post I have read yet. Thank you for sharing his views. I am below novice level and terrified to even break open my oils for fear of making a mess of things. But, not so much now.
Wow! Over the Top Beautiful works here! Such an inspiring artist & great Q&A. BYU-Idaho then Jackson Hole-truly God’s country. I’m in O.H.I.O now, but lived in Idaho for 8 years….100% Inspiration!
Thank you Dan!
I am from Idaho and I’m curious about BYU- Idaho and who their teachers are.
Would love to take classes and learn to paint even a little bit like Josh.
Having an artist talk about their work and what inspires them helps to clarify what it is that is most important to our own work.
Enjoyed this so much! Hope you are doing well. Love and I’m inspired by all your posts.
Thank you!
Dan thanks for sharing Josh’s comments. It answers a question I have started to ask, “Why do I love or dislike some paintings, particularly my own?”
The truth is, it tells me a lot about myself!
Thank you for this wonderful information. I have only started to paint in the last three years since I retired. I have been looking for artists to study. The artist in this interview are an excellent source.
Thank you, Dan. I’d never heard of Josh Clare but he is remarkable. His work is stunning. Thank you for your introduction.
Enjoyed the article. And really identify with Josh and light in a painting – a lifting of spirit
Particularly Love his paintings of Moose Creek and Golden Aspen
So interesting! Thanks Dan
Thanks Dan, enjoyed all your post.
I like his work & enjoyed the dialogue. There were no female artists mentioned. Does he conside there are any worthy of mention?
Wow! I love Josh’s paintings. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this amazing art work. The feelings of warmth and beauty are astounding.
I’m wondering? My eyes are drawn to the horizon on some of the paintings that are uneven, like the water in the first painting. What is the purpose of this?
Hi Glenda. I don’t mean to speak for Josh, but I would say you are drawn towards the relatively sharp edge which separates the land and the sky. Also, the horizon line forms an interesting, S-curve. Thanks! Dan
Thank you for sharing these wonderful articles, which feature amazing artists, that I didn’t know yet!