Artwork copyright Jamila Clarke. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2020.

Artwork copyright Jamila Clarke. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Everything Time Studio, 2021.

Uprooted, 2014

Jamila Clarke
American (born 1984)

Location: Foothills Elementary, Buckley

About the Artwork

Uprooted by Jamila Clarke is a meditation on the idea of “home.” Clarke thought about the meaning of home and how it changes over time for all of us as we grow up and in different stages of our lives. Uprooted is part of Clarke’s “15 before 30” photo series to commemorate turning thirty years old. The idea was to complete fifteen photo shoots over forty-five days, inspired by themes, and ending on their birthday. This artwork is part of a curated collection by Erin Dengerink in October 2021 at Foothills Elementary, in Buckley, Western Washington. The local art selection committee wanted artworks that are beautiful, intriguing, and spark imagination.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with White River School District.

About the Artist

Jamila Clarke uses digital photography to tell stories and “create impossible moments, narratives worthy of folktales, and add a little magic to everyday life.” Their work is inspired by the “urban wilds” of the Pacific Northwest and Portland, Oregon, as well as by short stories and folk tales. Clarke notes that “These stories are brief, open-ended and yet they can weave complex tales by using the viewer to fill in the pieces… Each photo is a brief glimpse at a story already in progress – neither at its beginning nor its end.” Clarke is of Bajan (Barbados) and Guyanese (Africa) heritage.