We are Clark Studios

“To me, Valiance means continuing down the path that you believe in even when no one else can see your vision.” - Miranda
“To me, Valiance means pursuing something that is challenging and hard with the hope that it will pay off and it’s not fruitless.”

Art is made in many ways, it comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. One of those ways is the art of sculpting, the art of creating something out of nothing. Sculptures help us see the beauty that lies in this world and the vast pictorialization that is brought to life by the sculptor. Miranda and Oliver Clark are a husband and wife sculptors who currently reside in Kansas City, Missouri. Have you ever gone to a restaurant or a hotel where you see sculptures or paintings used for its interior design? Ever thought to look at who created that sculpture or wonder who the artist may be? This husband and wife artist-duo are making an impact in the world one wood trim at a time, changing the way we view the world around us. 

The path to being sculptors was very different for both Miranda and Oliver Clark. Despite their different journeys, art was what brought them together. They both attended college at the Kansas City Art Institute. While at the college, Oliver and Miranda took a woodshop class, which is where they met and started dating. They both knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. A day after their college graduation, they got married and are now building their business together; called Clark Studios. 

“When people look at our social media, we want people to know that we do this together. I think so many times success is counted on what you can do on your own or what you can accomplish by yourself. When really it’s having someone there for you, supporting you, standing by your side.” - Miranda 

The journey to starting their business did not start off easy. The financial burden was heavy in the beginning. In order to try to make ends meet, they both had side jobs to sustain them. Oliver was working an on-call roadside assistance job, and Miranda was a bartender and event planner. Although it brought some sort of income, they were both very miserable. However, those jobs gave them the flexibility to still work on their art in their free time. They soon started getting commissioned to create sculptures for different events and venues that brought in more money and opened the doors of opportunities than they could imagine. Seeing the impact that their work was making only fueled their passion even more. 

Clark Studios can be known as a company that is individually together, creating art that highlights the natural beauty of life and the beauty of human interaction. Clark Studios is a business that compiles both Oliver and Miranda’s work. Although their sculpting specialty is wood working, their designs are distinctly different. Oliver gravitated toward the material of woodworking. He felt that with wood, it’s a living thing that directs its shape and shows its natural beauty. His work focuses on highlighting the beauty of the wood, the tree, rather than changing it.

“A lot of my work is about guiding the material…I try to retain the natural beauty of the material because wood is naturally beautiful. I highlight the imperfection and highlighting beauty. I don’t hide the flaws. It just becomes a part of your story.”

Miranda has always had a love for painting, for bringing her visions and imaginations to life, for woodworking. She wanted to do something that combined both her love for painting and woodworking, which led her to being a sculptor who uses wood with the finishing touch of paint to showcase different colors and patterns. The inspiration behind her pieces is by shaping the wood to be in the movement of her body. Creating something that allows for human interaction and transit. 

Oliver and Miranda had their fair share of challenges on their journey. A challenge faced was more so for Miranda who has had to deal with sexism in the woodworking industry. Knowing that the industry is so male dominated motivates her to push the envelope, to be recognized, and to be a role model for the next generation of female woodworkers. Another challenge faced was that rejections seem to be a norm in the beginning of their journey as artists...and sometimes still happens. It was a big obstacle in which Oliver and Miranda had to try to overcome. They have gotten more no’s than yes’s, but those yes’s helped push them to do their own thing, create their own space. Their advice to anyone who is hearing more no’s than yes’s or is afraid to keep going is to learn to work within the constraints of a box by thinking outside of the box. Also, make your own opportunities and make sure to hold on to the victories you’ve had, do not dwell too much on the negative.

“Your biggest competition is not other artists, but it’s that no one knows who you are. I think the most fortune I've had is through donating my work to auctions and people buying some pieces which leads them to commission you to do something. And it just gives you notoriety simply because your work is being shown at an auction. ” - Oliver

As the business continues to grow, Oliver and Miranda hope to add different types of art that will showcase the variety of their skills. Miranda plans to get an architectural degree in order to diversify her skills in building. Oliver plans to make sculptures that are easily accessible. Due to the fact that Covid put the world on pause on in-person interactions, Oliver hopes to create art that people can buy online that can be easily shipped.

To see more of Miranda and Oliver Clark’s work, visit their social media platform @weareclarkstudios ​

Below are a few of Miranda & Oliver Clark's work

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