Dani Clark
Dani Clark was a resident artist with us from 26 October to 9 November, 2025 (photo by Ashlynd King)
BIO
“My name is Dani Clark. I was born in China’s Yunnan province 1992. In 1994, I immigrated via adoption where I was raised by a single parent in northern Mississippi. This origin started me with a series of existential horrors that I had to contend with immediately in my youth. I had no prescription to answer any of these questions of identity.
When I was young I was confronted with this idea that I did not have the standard family, race, or any sense of ethnicity, heritage, or culture. I lacked the ability to have honest pride. As a remedy, I was deferred to southern spirituality. All answers were always before my eyes ever present, but I just lacked the patience, faith, or wisdom to see it. This frustration led to many days of internal anguish contrasted sharply with a facsimile of a good life.
This crisis of identity roared louder as I saw how empty the ideas I was raised on were. I realized I could not live up to the ideals presented because I no longer believed in them. I was left with two choices: destroy or create. So I live to create and experience within that creation for better or worse. Through paint and clay my art is representative of that force of living. An acknowledgement of life, death, and all the bits of pain and pleasure experienced between. My work does not try to define identity, but rather to dissolve it. My art is not about answers, but an honest attempt to witness what it means to live without certainty, without belonging, but still with intention.”
WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA
https://rabbit-ashes-studios.square.site
https://www.instagram.com/rabbit_ashes/
Media Links
Commercial Dispatch: https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/beauty-and-horror-meet-in-work-of-mars-artist-in-residence/
Porch Talk Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7FvIoWVkSZEAgO6uBcUjkI?si=3D7ZISbrTkGAc53DgfRA-Q
MARS Residency Report (Dani Clark)
My stay at MARS was meditative and healing for me personally. Seeing and tasting the fruits through the efforts of its creator was inspiring in itself. This realization of a place for artists to come and dwell in fortresses of never ending art was especially compelling. It would be impossible to see everything in one visit for all the art spread throughout the campus. There’s always something new or something overlooked no matter where your eyes go. There’s a collaborative effort to each soul that comes and lives something behind for the others. The entirety of MARs is a living, breathing, ever growing piece of art for anyone that desires to be a part can have a voice. As far as I know it's the only place in the south that exhibits such a celebration of art.
I spent a lot of my time looking back at art of old friends and relishing in times long gone but also becoming enamoured with all the new pieces of art that were sprinkled everywhere. Each new piece had new stories with brilliant artists behind each to learn about. In addition to viewing art I noted an exorbitant wealth of books of every sort around me. There were collections and varieties of books that would give so many local libraries a run for their money. The cabin was picturesque and the surrounding area very well kept. I particularly loved the pond. Joe Macgowan keeps MARS alive and well. It is a fertile rich environment to come and grow and return to see comforts both familiar and completely new. Dani Clark
The other great part of my residency I found endearing was reuniting old friends and making news throughout my stay. A core aspect of art is fostering a sense of community through sharing the spoils of effort. This function of bringing people together is critical in a time when so many people are driven apart through devices out of their control. The residency allowed me to make new connections and in turn learn more about the upcoming aspiring artist of all sorts.
My time at MARs was therapeutic in that I was able to rekindle my passion for the prime directive all artists must answer which is simply to create. My joy was rediscovered at creating again and then affirmed at the end showcase. This experience will forever hold a special place in my heat. My hope is to see MARs continue to grow, fostering and igniting the fires of creativity of all who visit it.