Unraveled Expert Artist Interview | Bobbi Clark, UEA
Bobbi Clark is our newest Unraveled Expert Artist and we are thrilled to welcome her to our UEA community! We love Bobbi because she is not afraid to be different. She steps outside the box, freelenses like a goddess, embraces harsh light and dark shadows and does it WELL. As a mother of four girls who are always keeping her on her toes, her home and her work are both filled with squeals, laughter, crying, movement and the magic of childhood. You can FEEL excitement, energy and joy in everything she creates. We are thrilled to announce that Bobbi will also be joining of team of instructors this year!!
For more inspiration from Bobbi:
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Here is Bobbi, Unraveled…
What inspires your art?
Oh man.... everything! haha But when I need inspiration or seek it out, I play my favorite music and take a super hot shower OR I take a drive and play my favorite music. Honestly experimenting with photography is also super inspiring. I like to try a lot of new stuff or techniques and see what I come away with from just playing around. Most of my favorite images are moments where I went into picking up my camera with zero expectations of a certain outcome and just tried to be fully present with what was in front of my lens.
What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens?
I use 2 Sony a7iii’s and use sigma adapter with EF 35 and 50 to freelens with and then Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4 or Sony 24 1.4 for client work
What other ways do you express your creativity?
I love decorating my home and making special spaces within it. I also doodle a lot in my "ideas" journal. haha I sound lame. I used to paint a lot of with oil paints. I'm hoping as my girls get bigger I will have more time to go and explore that medium again.
How do you de-stress at the end of the day?
Shit. Still working on how to do that... no I love snuggling our youngest till she falls asleep since she lets me do that still. And then I like to hang out with my husband and catch up with each other. Sometimes we will watch Netflix or just sit and talk.
What kind of music do you listen to while editing?
I love listening to Folk Rock mostly. Lowest Pair is my favorite band.... just a guy and girl strumming on banjo's or guitars with the most playful lyrics. When I edit, I will shout out to my friend Alexa and tell her to play "modern folk music" and she graciously plays all my favorite tunes. I also have a great love for older music like Neil Young, the Bobs (Dylan and Marley) and Fleetwood.
What is your favorite book?
Books that hold my attention are mostly about self growth (Brene Brown) or about art/artists (lots of Frida Kahlo, Renaissance, Impressionism, Art Nouveau)
Name one movie that inspires you.
One!?! I love movies that are magical and whimsical but still tell or teach simple yet profound life lessons that change my perspective. The very first movies that gave me that magical feel as a kid were Secret Garden and A Little Princess.
What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?
I picked up a camera 3 years ago to find my creative self again. I felt my life didn't have room for me separate of my wife and mom titles. And then me actually stepping outside those titles really put a lot of stress on my marriage and family life. I wasn't expecting that, at all. While those parts were the hardest, I'm glad we all went through it because I feel like my family and marriage is now much stronger and I feel supported in my journey.
Who is one of your favorite photographers?
I love and have such a great appreciation for so many photographers!! This is a hard one. I don't like making people feel left out. I love the work of Dawndra Budd, Brooke Shaden, Lauren Midgely, Lindsay Saunders, Meg Loeks, Stormy Solis.... just to name a few. My list is never ending.
How do you handle selfdoubt or creative slumps?
Honestly I haven't handled the self doubt well so I decided to quit drinking and have been going to therapy and it's helping tremendously. Self doubt, personally, stemmed from past trauma and I am working on making myself whole again so I can be a positive example to my daughters. I am learning its ok to take breaks when I feel like I'm spinning my tires. Before making these life changes I thought I had to be creative ALL the time and I crashed and burned pretty hard this last Fall.
What is your favorite course or lesson at unraveled?
My favorite course is hands down is the How to Freelens by Anita Cline. That course convinced me to try freelensing and I instantly fell in love. I felt like I was painting again but with a camera and the love has only grown from there to keep freelensing. I love the dreamy blur. It reminds me so much of Impressionism paintings.
What is your favorite pizza topping?
ONIONS!!!! Yep I am that weirdo who has an obsession with onions.
What is your most favorite kind of light and why?
I love sunset light and shooting directing into it. For me its like a magical world I get to escape to.... I like getting lost chasing the sunset with my girls in the woods or on the beach. Being present during a sunset gives me such an appreciation for being alive. I don't know how else to explain it. I am literally at my happiest when I am taking photos at sunset.
