About

Shelby Clark is a sculptor originally from Pass Christian, Mississippi. She received her BA in English Literature from Flagler College in 2020, where she also minored in Environmental Science and Creative Writing. She currently lives in Jacksonville with her fiancé, two dogs, and two cats.

Artist Statement

My sculptures originate from both a deep love and deep respect for nature— specifically wildlife. I grew up watching raccoons and foxes in Mississippi, deer and coyotes in Georgia, alligators and herons in Louisiana, and dolphins and possums in Florida, so I’ve always been enamored by animals’ beauty and behaviors. They act in the interest of survival and entirely outside of our human narratives of “good” and “evil.” Due to that, I see in them inherent honesty and innocence that’s difficult to locate in people. Animals don’t operate under ulterior motives, and because of that, I feel that they are both striking and authentic channels to explore other themes in art and human nature.

Similarly, my love for literature also permeates my subjects and style, as I’ve always gravitated towards fantastical novels and poetry. In many senses, I believe that in breaking down the laws of nonfiction, writers can often dig deeper into emotions and characters, which is what I work to do with clay.