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Josh Clare
Joshua Clare is a promising
young artist from Utah who is rapidly making his mark on the
art world. Born in 1982, Joshua grew up drawing and was rarely
without a pencil and paper, but it wasn’t until he began
studying art at BYU-Idaho that he began painting. That first
oil painting class included a trip to the galleries in Jackson
Hole (his first visit to an art gallery or museum) and completely
changed the course of his life. Since graduating with a BFA in
illustration from BYU-Idaho in 2007 Josh has been supporting
himself and his family with art--and he thanks God every day
for that remarkable blessing. He figures that if he can paint
all day, every day, for the next 20 years, eventually he’ll
paint something pretty decent.
Josh has earned numerous
awards along the way including artists choice at the 2012 Laguna
Plein Air Invitational and 2nd place in the Raymar 6th Annual
Painting Competition. Early in 2014 Josh was featured for three
consecutive months in several of the nation’s finest art
magazines: Western Art and Architecture, Southwest Art, and Art
of the West.
Harvey Dunn, a golden
age illustrator, taught his students that they should thank God
every day for “the privilege of seeing the sun cast shadows.”
Josh does just that.
A R T I S T S T A
T E M E N T
“Behold, all these
are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these
hath seen God moving in his majesty and power. I say unto you,
he hath seen him; nevertheless, he who came unto his own was
not comprehended” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:47-48).
There is no artist greater
than God, and no beauty more perfect than His creations—His
art; to see any, even the least of them, is to see God himself,
“moving in His majesty and power.” There have been
times in my life when I have done more than merely look—times
when I’ve seen. Those moments are sacred and precious to
me, and I desire to share them. I want to see more clearly, I
want to comprehend more fully—and I want to help others
do the same. That’s why I paint.
My aim as an artist is
not to redefine beauty—no one can do that—but to discover
for myself, through the Spirit of Truth, those eternal laws that
govern it, and obey them.
If I am anything good,
if there is anything in my art that is good—it’s because
of and thanks to God. As often as I forget it, I know that I
am nothing of myself, and I’m deeply grateful that Heavenly
Father has allowed me to be an artist.
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