Clark Elster, NPS

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"Art has always been part of my life -- although I waited until late in life before seriously venturing into the world of art. For me, painting is the orchestration of imagination, the expression of my life's experiences and the environment from which those memories sprang -- a communion of memory with nature, honed by observation and humor. Through art, one sees nature (and our culture) with much greater clarity -- capturing those elusive moments in time with feelings otherwise lost forever. I believe the artist sees what everybody else has seen and then paints what they should have seen."

Following a 25 year hiatus from art while pursuing a successful career as a Seattle Police officer and commander. Clark Elster discovered pastels and began painting again in 1984 -- and, much enthused, retired shortly thereafter to become a full time artist. Raised in the high desert country of Central Oregon, his introduction to art was the Famous Artist correspondence school in 1952 -- while still in high school. That was followed by art studies at Lewis and Clark University in Portland, Or., before becoming a Seattle police officer and an occasional "Sunday" painter and cartoonist.

Since retirement in 1986, he has studied with Pat Fridell PSA, Doug Dawson PSA, Arlene Hooker Fay NWR, David Leffel NWR, Daniel Greene PSA, Desmond O'Hagen PSA and studied and painted with Albert Handell PSA, Lorenzo Chavez PSA, and Ned Mueller NWR, all nationally acclaimed artists.

Clark paints a wide range of subjects (including portraiture and figurative) in a style best described as representational -- hinting of impressionism, with emphasis on Pacific Northwest marinescapes and landscapes. He takes advantage of the spontaneous and vibrant immediacy of pastels that gives his work an enduring freshness.

 

Clark's work is in private and corporate collections world wide (including the Presidential Suite in the Benson Hotel in Portland,OR) and has appeared twice in the ""AMERICAN ARTIST"". He is listed in the 1989 issue of "ARTISTS OF THE NORTHWEST". His work has been featured in numerous local and national juried, invitational and one man shows, including: The 1989 Pastel Society of America (PSA) traveling retrospective exhibit of work by American pastel societies presidents: three exhibits at the Nordic heritage Museum in Seattle and The Oregon Cost's Artist exhibit at the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver BC. One man shows include shows in Napa Valley, CA, Seattle, Oregon Coast, OR, Mercer Island, WA and Issaquah WA and Ocean Shores, WA.

Wine label done by Clark Elster
for the World Famous Woodward Canyon Winery 
Lowden WA

 

A founding signature member and "Distinguished Pastellist" Clark is past president of the NORTHWEST PASTEL SOCIETY (NPS), a member of the Oregon Pastel Society (PSO), and member and past president of the PUGET SOUND GROUP OF NORTHWEST PAINTERS (PSGNWP). He also juries art exhibits and conducts artist workshops in Washington and in Oregon. Clark is the author, illustrator and publisher of the 100 page sketchbook, TWO AMERICANS IN NORWAY and has written a collection of humorous essays entitled MUSINGS AT MY EASEL.

Clark Elster is currently represented by:

Clark Elster: Artist: Northwest Pastel Art, 1720 NE 177th, Shoreline, WA 98155 (206) 363-0821


cbelster@comcast.net e-mail

 

Clark's Gallery