A Chat with Melody Clark | Big Green Experts

Tell us a bit about yourself - What do you do and where can we find your work?

I'm an illustrator and designer and sometimes-poet, living out in the Lincolnshire Wolds. While I work as a freelance artist, I also create prints and products for my online store, The Cavern Of Melody Clark. I'd like to think of my work as a playful and paranormal take on pop culture and puns- creepy comedy, if you will. I like to make spooky work that makes people smile, as corny as that sounds! I currently sell via Etsy, simply search for 'CavernofMelodyClark' if you'd like to check me out! I also live on Instagram, at @themelodyclark, where I often spew all kinds of strange things!

How did you get into illustration? Do you have an artistic background?

I've always been very creative, and have always been encouraged to be creative, which I'm really thankful for! I'm part of a family of artsy people- my sister is a fine artist, my dad is a musician, my mum devours books and I have a printmaker aunty too. I come from a working class family in a low-income area of Doncaster, and my parents encouraged us to aim as high as possible and have always indulged my imagination, even when I was performing poetry about sex and satanism - that's love!!

I learned a lot about the industry and practice during my Illustration degree at The University of Lincoln, which I graduated from in 2013, but really fell in love with the methods of Illustration during my BTECs, Level 2 and 3 at secondary school. It was back then that I really learned how to work from briefs and be experimental and imaginative with my practice. It makes me very sad to see BTECs under threat as I really thrived under this way of learning, and creatively, it was a very happy time!

What's your creative process? How do you move from idea to product in your online shop?

Usually an idea of a pun or a play on words will pop into my head- it could be whilst watching a film, listening to an album, or during a conversation, and I'll let it roll around my head for a few weeks, before exploring how it can be realised upon paper. I hand draw 90% of my pieces, and the materials I'll use will depend on the piece- a lot of the time I will colour it digitally, whereas sometimes a piece will 'tell me' to complete it using pen- I really love working with pen and the texture it creates, which is why I always ink my pieces by hand, even if I then complete it digitally. Some items will feel 'right' for certain products- with my T-Shirts, I try to think of the clothing I would like to see, and what people around me like- and some work well just as prints. There is something so magical, however, about seeing a design as a finished product; on a tote bag or mug, or in print. I don't think I'll ever get over that feeling!

Has lockdown positively or negatively affected your creativity? Do you have any productivity advice?

Oooh, this is a good question! When lockdown started, I had to cancel two small but very exciting exhibitions I was going to take part in - one with my good friend Shann Wahl, which we later adapted into a zine instead, and another was going to be a collection of almost thirty pieces for a wonderful venue in Norwich. I felt quite sad and dejected when these choices had to be made, and in the grand scale of things, it really doesn't matter, but it definitely affected my creativity and drive. When all of my friends were fawning over Grayson Perry's Art Club, I couldn't bring myself to watch it because I was stuck in such a creative rut! It passed and I actually got a lot done - while I still struggle sometimes to get through creative block- the only advice I really have is to be kind to yourself and know that it will pass, but that doesn't help when you have deadlines! Strangely, I find it much easier to get through a block if it is a commission than if it's a self initiated design for The Cavern- I guess I am my own worst critic, like many artists!

Where do you draw inspiration from in both your design work and poetry?

Horror, mostly! I love the vivid imagery of 20th century horror movies, from the drastic tone of German expressionist silent horror, to the tacky, cheap colour palettes of 1980s gore-fests. Horror influences both my illustration and my poetry, and in both I like to play around with word play and humour and bring a light hearted approach into the foreground. I don’t take myself very seriously and I think this definitely comes into my work!

Visually, I'm inspired by all-sorts as well as horror; I love Art Nouveau, in particular Aubrey Beardsley, and I adore mid century design and 1960s op art- Bridget Riley is a huge influence to me at the moment. I love artists that blend elegance with surrealism- my biggest creative influence is fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli - her work was so inventive and imaginative and playful! Anyone that created evening gloves with claws and hats that look like monster mitts is legendary in my book!

What other creative outlets do you have?

Poetry was a huge escape for me a few years ago during some hard times, and while I dabble a little, I definitely feel more drawn to visual art. I love taking photographs of the weirdness of The Lincolnshire Wolds, as well as fawning over, and educating myself on 20th century fashion and artists. I try to expand my knowledge of all things paranormal and true crime too, and listen to A LOT of podcasts.

Tell us about your role with Plastic Brain Press.

Plastic Brain Press is a huge creative outlet for me! My work within this small press lets me wear a lot of hats, and no two days are the same. I was invited to join Plastic Brain Press by my now partner, the writer Richard Daniels, back in January 2018, and together we've published paperback books,zines, podcasts and even two albums! We try to highlight some of the most talented and truly weird of contemporary writing- from folk horror fiction to very personal and unflinching poetry. We are always working away on something! My main role within the press is design - I create covers and / or illustrations for our publications, as well as promotional items and merchandise. My two favourite projects so far have been The Occultaria Of Albion by Richard Daniels- a case file zine series of unbelievably outrageous occurrences, and Lincolnshire Strange Delights, a collaborative zine series of weird stuff from Lincolnshire- both of which I format, design and illustrate, and both of which are entirely unpredictable -which I love!!

Have you had a positive experience setting up your small business?

Yes! I'm very lucky to be surrounded by supportive friends who have their own creative endeavours. Like many small businesses, The Cavern has bad days as well as good, especially during a global pandemic, but I'm really excited for the future of my strange little art baby!

What's next for your Cavern?

I have a couple of zines lined up for production! I've had one that has been in the pipeline since last summer, which I'm really excited to finally release soon, as well as a few other ideas I have brewing in the cauldron. I'm hoping to expand into more prints and products, and as soon as lockdown ends, I'd really love to get a few exhibits secured, so keep your fingers crossed for me!