MARA CLAWSON

About the Artist

Mara Clawson, born in Seoul Korea in 1992, is a self-taught artist who paints visual stories using pastels and paint. Born with Familial Dysautonomia (FD), a rare genetic neurological disease, Mara’s art is a means for her to connect and express herself to others.  Sensing how colors mix and combine is at the core of Mara’s process. Mara layers different colors and patterns of oil pastels or paint, which creates her distinct mark making, a patchwork of textural arrangements, and intricate abstract compositions.  Clawson's choice of subjects is driven by a desire to raise awareness about issues that concern her, such as vulnerable environments, people, and animals. Her artwork provides a refreshing perspective on the world, one infused with her clear insights and hopeful outlook.  After winning a Kennedy Center VSA Emerging Young Artists with Disabilities award in 2016, Mara has worked towards reaching broader audiences. Since 2020, jurors from major museums have selected Mara’s paintings into four different national competitions and exhibitions; and a New York city gallerist curated a solo exhibition of Mara’s pastel portraits.  In 2023, the Art Center of the Bluegrass in Kentucky obtained an NEA grant to commission Mara to create significant works for exhibition. 

Artist's Statement

I never had tears in my life because I have Familial Dysautonomia (FD). So, my pictures tell how I feel. They become a part of me. My art is the way people get to know me. People tell me my art makes them happy. I love meeting and making people happy. Sometimes it seems like my drawings just came out - out of nowhere. Other times, I like to make pictures that come from my imagination. And sometimes my paintings are about reality, important things, or just everyday things. I love colors. I love mixing colors – it makes me who I am. I know my work is finished when the colors get along. Real courage is - you follow your heart, whatever path you take. Art is my life. Art makes me happy to be who I am and gives me lots of courage.