About Clare
My painting has been influenced by some of the positive experiences in my life. I grew up on Hayling, a small island in Hampshire on the south coast of England where water and boats were never far away. In May 2021, my husband and I moved to Newlyn, a fishing village on the south west coast of Cornwall. It feels like we have ‘arrived home’ and love being by the sea and in this community!
In my 20’s I backpacked around the world for eight years, at the time thinking that I would not be able to settle down back in the UK. However, I came to realise I had an unexpected need to live through the changing seasons which are so well defined in England. My paintings often reflect the seasonal charm in the landscape, from snow-covered trees to newly harvested hayfields.
I feel at my happiest when I am outside and connected to nature and I hope this reflects in my paintings.
Artistic Development
I became a professional artist in 2016. I am always looking for ways to improve and move forward with my painting skills and technique and each year seems to bring new learning.
In 2016 I was given a book by Carol Marine titled Daily Painting which took me on a new journey. The idea of painting something new every day seized my imagination and I realised that alla prima style (in one attempt) was what I wanted to do. I committed to a year of creating small paintings regularly, tackling a range of subjects from life rather than photographs, and found my skills improved and confidence grew. I documented the process in my blog and still maintain that discipline now.
The quest to develop my painting skills continually leads me in different directions, finding new tools that help, meeting new painters who inspire and working with other artists who help with encouragement and suggestions.
Plein Air
My first trials at painting en plein air (painting outside) in 2009 were not a complete success! It was only after I had gained some confidence from my daily painting in 2016 that I faced the challenge of painting outside again. Instead of tackling a 24×36” board, this time I started with a modest 5×7″ board and really I enjoyed it. The little painting wasn’t even too bad! With the excitement of being able to paint outside and the challenge of improving, I learned from experienced plein air painters on workshops whilst gradually set myself up with all the basic equipment, plein air painting took over from studio work: I had got the bug!
I now love the challenge. It’s exciting trying to capture the fleeting light, colour and movement and I can’t get enough of it.
YouTube
60+ videos of demos and tutorials are free and available on my YouTube Channel – where I share my knowledge of oil painting, plein air adventures and lots of tips and behind the scenes (with Mr B too!)
Do have a look and Subscribe if you’d like to keep up to date with the videos 🙂
Gallery
Represented by
The Harbour Gallery, Portscatho, Cornwall
Exhibitions
Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2023
Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2022
Solo Exhibition at The Studio, Glebe Place, Chelsea, London 2022
Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2021
Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2020
Battersea Affordable Art Fair, The Russel Gallery, Spring 2020
Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2020
The Russell Gallery, Mixed Christmas Exhibition 2019
Nominated ‘Surrey Artist of The Year’ group exhibition The New Ashgate Gallery 2019
Solo Exhibition at The Studio, Glebe Place, Chelsea, London 2019
Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) group exhibition, The Mall Galleries, London 2019
The Artist Collection Exhibition with the Artist Magazine 2017,18,19
33 Art, Group Exhibition, Petersfield Hants June 2019
Group exhibition Patchings Art Festival 2017,18,19
Chelsea Art Society, group exhibition 2017,18,19
App Art, group exhibition, Godalming, Surrey 2018,19
Haslemere Art Society, group exhibition 2016,17,18,19
Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) group exhibition 2017
New English Art Club (NEAC) 2017
Pall Mall London group exhibition 2015
Windsor Contemporary art Fair 2015
Awards
The Classic Boat Award, at the Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2023
Highly Commended Award, The Artist Magazine 2019
Royal Talens Award 2017,18
The Artist Exhibition Award at The Patchings Art Centre 2017,18
Publications
The Artist Magazine, May 2021 Article ‘Feel The Fear Plein Air Painting’
The Artist Magazine, May 2020 Article ‘Oils on The Go’
The Artist Magazine, January 2019 Article ‘Space & Perspective in The Landscape’
The Artist Magazine, Summer 2019 Article ‘In the Frame’