Art as self discovery

"It is a complete mess, but that is the way I like it," says James Vella Clark, smiling apologetically as he opens the door to his studio.

Blue tracks of a toy train wind through the studio, toys are scattered on the floor, the blue walls are decorated with half-finished paintings, blue curtains adorn the windows and the shelves are filled completely with books and CDs.

Making his way to his easel he explains: "I have a three-year-old kid, Daniel, focused on trains and I love blue."

"Almost all of my paintings are blue, whoever owns a red one can be happy because they are an exception and if I use red, the paintings become usually very, very deep red," he says, rummaging in drawings, brushes and tins and plastic bottles of paint.

"They reflect my mood and looking at them, I can see whether I was happy or angry, calm or nervous while working."

Many people have asked him about the way he paints and which factors inspire him in his artistic expression, so he decided to give the public an opportunity to watch him working.

Today, he will discuss his art and methodology as he works on an original painting at Action Base Studio in Il-Forga Street, Naxxar, at 8 p.m. The event in the "...inprogress" series is open to the public.

The painting will be on sale and proceeds will go for charity.

Since he was a child, he has always been interested in art and while other students filled their copybooks with maths homework, he loved to draw castles in pencil, he says. Although his wife, Julie, he adds with a wink, does not like it when he tells this story again and again, as she is a maths teacher.

The young artist started attending classes at the Society of Arts Manufacturing and Commerce in Valletta at the age of six and was under the tuition of several Maltese artists. He received private training under Alfred Camilleri and Harry Alden.

First, he drew religious subjects and used pencil only because he was "afraid of colours".

Then, Mr Vella Clark stopped painting for some time and when he came across a book about painting landscapes a few years later, started again then using colours.

His Mediterranean character, plays an important role in his paintings, as they are "impulsive, warm and spontaneous". The landscape expressionist artist says: "I love Malta and its landscape and it has always been the subject of my pictures; a church, the typical village painted with the typical Mediterranean colours".

Dominating in his imaginative Maltese places is always the dome which is surrounded by the cubic shapes of houses - a patchwork of contrasting colours.

"Art has helped me to appreciate and understand myself," he says. "For me, painting is a continuous journey to find a style of my own. Every artist has to keep trying new things to discover himself or herself more.

"My greatest wish is that someone from abroad once comes to Malta to meet me and to say he came here only because he saw one of my pictures and was impressed by the way I see and interpret the Maltese landscape."

Although the Maltese art market is very small, there is still a lack of proper training and more exhibition spaces are needed, he said. Over the last five years, the Maltese have started to appreciate art more and young artists find a lot of motivation and encouragement.

During today's event, Mr Vella Clark will also launch his new website, www.jamesvellaclark.com.

Bookings may be done via e-mail victore@maltanet.net.