Meet Carlee Clark | Artist and Crafter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlee Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlee, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always been incredibly craft oriented and had seen a few videos of dicemakers online. My partner, sister, other family and friends all played Dungeons and Dragons regularly and I had played a few times. Thinking it would be a fun adventure, I set out to make dice for these people in my life as gifts. Quickly after, it spiraled into what it is now; a quickly growing renaissance faire circuit across the country and an online shop.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a young child, I was obsessed with any crafty endeavor I could get my hands on. I participated in my first craft show when I was 8 years old and was incredibly proud of my table full of recycled soup can pencil holders and bottlecap necklaces. As I grew up, I developed an interest in special effects makeup and spent as much time as I could trying new techniques. After graduating high school in a small town in Oklahoma, I moved out to Colorado and spent a few years disconnected from making art.
After reflecting on what I really wanted in my life, I realized that art was the thing I was missing. After discovering dicemaking, I decided I would learn the whole process from start to finish. I make all of my own molds, do all casting, polishing, and inking, making my dice handmade from start to finish. When making my dice, I typically like to stick to more gothic, darker themes and imagery, similar to the sfx makeup I was interested in, though I’m also known to make art that’s representative of what I’m interested in in the moment. After learning more about mold making, I began to realize how similar it was to previous techniques I used in special effects makeup throughout highschool. I found the mold making learning curve to be pretty high, there are a lot of technicalities and intricacies, but I loved the challenge and how versatile it is. Additionally, I started making dice trays as a way to incorporate 2D and traditional artwork into my work.
Just a few years after beginning to make dice, an opportunity opened up at the Michael Garman Museum in Colorado Springs for a mold maker position. I took the shot and got the job, excited to learn even more mold making techniques. I’ve learned invaluable informaton there from my bosses and mentors and have been able to apply similar techniques and materials into my own business. Though there have been several hurdles, I’ve learned the best way to approach larger projects is to do plenty of research beforehand and plan things out as thoroughly as possible before starting.
While I started online, mostly on Etsy, I quickly realized that in-person events were more beneficial to both me and the buyers. After trying out different markets, conventions, and faires, I discovered that renaissance festivals were a great crowd for my style of art. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to put together a solid festival circuit. Currently, I find myself doing several smaller shows in NM, a few markets in CO, and this year, a show in SD. I’d like people to remember that even in a world full of mass-produced art, there is still value in handmade art. There is still a place for art that’s made start to finish by hand, especially by one person.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Everytime I have friends visit, we make sure to visit the Michael Garman Museum, (not just because I work there, but because it’s a genuinely cool place!), the penny arcade in Manitou Springs and the May Natural History Museum. For food, we always get Rasta Pasta, Denver Biscuit Company, Amy’s Donuts, Bingo Burger, and ICONS in downtown Colorado Springs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My partner, Julie, absolutely deserves the shoutout as my biggest cheerleader. She was one of my main inspirations when starting this whole journey and has always encouraged and supported me however I need. From learning basic dice polishing techniques to support when I need high quantities, to doing any graphic design I need, to helping run my booth at shows, I truly could not do it without her.

Instagram: @cutthroatdice