Main content

You must touch the art! Telling my story in dots

Age six Clarke Reynolds visited his local gallery. His mind was blown, and the dream of having his art on the walls was born. 35 years later, after losing his sight, it came true.

As a child, British artist Clarke Reynolds created an eclectic universe in his sketchbook to escape a difficult home life. But it was a visit to a gallery at age six, and a picture of a giant yellow cow that blew his mind, and set his sights on having his own works exhibited. As an adult Clarke became a model maker, but when he was told he was going blind, he had to give up his job, and his beloved sketchbook. Propelled by an unstoppable passion, and inspired by braille, he reinvented his craft, bringing an exhibition of tactile works to the same gallery that had birthed his dream 35 years before. Clarke recently exhibited at London's Quantus Gallery and the Affordable Art Fair.

Growing up Robert J. Lang was mesmerised by origami, but his mathematical abilties took him to a job at NASA. He never stopped honing his craft though and a trip to Germany, and a Black Forest cuckoo clock put Robert on the origami map. He gave up his job, and this fusion of mathematics and art turned him into one of the world鈥檚 foremost origami artists. Along with a team in Japan, he pioneered a system that took origami from 30 folds to hundreds of possibilities. He spoke to Outlook鈥檚 Jo Fidgen in 2020.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

(Photo: Clarke Reynolds touches his art which was part of his exhibition 'The Power of Touch' at the Quantus Gallery in London. Credit: Karen Bengall/Quantus Gallery)

Available now

41 minutes

Last on

Fri 26 May 2023 02:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 25 May 2023 11:06GMT
  • Thu 25 May 2023 17:06GMT
  • Thu 25 May 2023 21:06GMT
  • Fri 26 May 2023 02:06GMT

Contact Outlook

Contact Outlook

Info on how we might use your contribution on air

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected