

Handmade Decorative Art
Robin Clark - Artist
Minden, Nevada

About Me . . . . .
My name is Robin (Folin) Clark. I have been interested in art and crafts my entire life. After retiring and moving to Minden, Nevada I was able become more involved in what I truly loved… ART. I started by taking a watercolor class at Western Nevada College which whetted my appetite for more. As I continued to paint, I also became an organizer for a large local craft show for 10 years which allowed me to be creative in the craft world, but I wanted to focus more on art. I joined the Nevada Artists Association in Carson City, Nevada and soon became the current Gallery Director.
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I lived in California for 40 years and 7 years in Idaho before moving to Minden, Nevada in 2012. I have 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
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I grew up in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota with my parents, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. When I was 9 years old my parents decided to move us all to California, only not in a very conventional way. They wanted to go in a covered wagon. So in 1965 they packed us all up and the 7 of us traveled all the way to Fallbrook, California in a covered wagon. We printed a book in 2010 based on the diaries my parents kept, photographs, and many memories. My sisters and I retraced our 1965 trip in 2023.
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I thank my parents for my artistic abilities. My mom was very creative and artistic, and my dad repurposed everything!
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About My Artwork . . . . .
I developed an art form I am finding that nobody has ever seen. Most people are shocked when I tell them it is clay and NOT leather. All of my products are handmade using clay and various stains, paints, inks, etc. to create the final piece of art that looks like leather. I start with frames, boxes and miscellaneous background materials that are recycled. I purchase the various foundation pieces from local second hand stores, yard/garage sales and estate sales. I create a piece of art with clay to fit the size of the recycled item, I then refurbish the foundation piece. Every piece I make is a ONE OF A KIND. I may use the same saying but there are no 2 pieces exactly alike.
The majority of my work is western themed but I also do some various “every day” home décor pieces. I am always open for doing custom work as well. I have sold over 800 pieces of artwork over the years.
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My Artists Statement . . . . .
My artwork is inspired by my love for the western culture of Nevada, patriotism, the outdoors and repurposing old wood items. Each piece I make reflects one of these subjects by combining clay that I have transformed into something that looks like leather, a base of repurposed wood of some sort, and various other embellishments. My creativity begins when I find just the right piece of wood.
