Scott Clarke is an artist and writer hoping to enlighten, inspire and entertain with his creativity. Scott spends much of his time as an art instructor in addition to being a mentor through diverse creative outreach programs.
He has a well received list of published books, assorted collections of greeting cards and other commodities featuring his creations. With few limits, Scott finds many outlets for his creative energy coloring the world with love, light and laughter. Below is our interview with Scott.
Tell us about your background and how you became interested in drawing caricatures.
I was born in the DC area of the US, raised just outside Annapolis Maryland in a sleepy beach community where we spent summers barefoot while crabby and fishing and winters ice-skating on the Chesapeake Bay. When I was very little (about 4 or 5) is when I remember finding my passion for drawing. My Mom would give me a pen and paper to draw with so I would be quiet (even in Church).
I began drawing cartoon characters from TV, The Flintstones etc. I remember also learning technique at such a young age by watching others draw in school and copying things I liked about their ways of drawing hair, noses, ears etc. As a teen I began to become more fascinated with fashion and began drawing from books and TV, drawing Cher a lot (she was always fun because you could draw her in anything and it worked.) I would also draw multiple pages and staple them together, once drawing the entire “Poseidon Adventure” film in my own style and stapling it together like a book. I wish now that I had saved all that stuff. The caricatures have always been a fun thing to do through out my life, but not until the last several years have I gotten in to it heavily, it’s now such a passion and challenge.
Start with the eyes, if you can get the eyes the rest falls in to place. I began adding the words (poems, rhymes, humor) because I saw sooooo many artists out there doing caricatures and I wanted to be different. I’m not the best artist or the best writer but the combination I believe makes it truly special 🙂
Who was your biggest influence?
I have to say in the beginning Hanna Barbera was my biggest influence as an artist. NOW as an adult I don’t think there are major influences, if I see technique in someone else’s work that I like I may try it but with my own flair. I see so many artist’s work out there on social media daily, I try NOT to compare my stuff. We all learn in many ways, watching and trying we develop our own creations.
What your goals?
Goals? ..a beach house! KIDDING! I don’t have specific goals except for evolution of my craft and touching people with my work. Using the gifts I have been given to entertain, enlighten and inspire.
I have a few other interests, my secret passion is singing, I love to sing and always have, I sang with a band many years ago. I wish that I had more time and opportunity to sing. I also enjoy creative photography on a VERY primitive level. The beach is my happy place, the gym is my feelin’ good spot, horror/suspense movies are my mind numbing escape.
What is on your bucket list?
I would love to visit Maldives. I’d love to talk to Dolly Parton, I’d love to sing on stage in NYC, ….and yeah get a beach house 🙂
If I could meet anyone in history who would it be?
It would have to be the REAL Santa Claus!
Here are are a few samples of Scott Clarke’s cartoons.
Visit Scott Clarke’s work at:
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