Clark Gussin
Clark Gussin was born in 1948 in Washington, D.C., and grew up there and in North Carolina. As a boy, he took an early interest in art and was sent to study oil painting at the Corcoran Gallery Art School for two years. It was there and in the National Gallery that he was exposed to art history first-hand and developed a love for the style and techniques of the Old Masters. He was especially impressed by the 17th-century Dutch artists and the Northern Renaissance Flemish painters, who left their imprint on his naturalistic, classic approach to painting. In particular, while at the Corcoran, he saw Albert Bierstadt's famous painting: "The Last Buffalo," not knowing the art and history of the West would play such an important part later in Clark's life.
Influenced by many contemporary artists such as Andrew Wyeth, James Bama, and Norman Rockwell, Clark felt a special affinity to Andrew Wyeth. The rural countryside and the people Wyeth painted were reminiscent of the farm where Clark spent much of his time as a boy.
It was a common setting in the rural South during the 50's and 60's when Clark was a young man; To live on a small tobacco farm in Southeast North Carolina, Clark's family roots for over two hundred years. Looking back Clark realized how much the people, the landscape, and the life on a rural family farm influenced his life and art. His curiosity and attention to detail in the rugged and worn hands of a field worker, to the faceted, bleached boards on the side of a pack house. To the juxtaposition of his natural surroundings, and the plowed furrows on the land before planting.
As an avid outdoorsman and landscape painter Clark's travels since moving West has given him many enriching experiences while living on Indian reservations, cattle ranches and developing long-lasting friendships.
Clark Gussin received his BFA in Painting and Interdisciplinary Studies with distinction at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland California in 1975. While in college Clark studied with notable professors: Ralph Borge, Richard Gayton, Jack Mendenhall, Don DeVivorous, Jason Schoener and Jerry Arena. He also studied with noted poet and playwright, Michael McClure. In 2008- 2010: he studied at The Triton Museum of Art with George Rivera and Kristin Lindseth Rivera. In 2010-11, at the Bay Area Classical Atelier Clark studied painting and drawing with Juliette Aristides. In 2010, at the Warren Chang Studio in Monterey California, he studied painting and drawing with. Bestowed "Living Artist" status by the Art Renewal Center, 2014. Accepted as Artist Member of the California Art Club, 2016.
