Clare studied Law at Downing College, Cambridge, Fine Art at Harrogate College and Portraiture at the Charles Cecil Studio, Florence. Although born in Surrey, Clare now lives in Harrogate. She paints mainly in oils and is inspired by landscape and figures. Clare endeavours to capture the atmosphere of her subject using colour and line. She has exhibited widely and has completed numerous commissions including portraits of the President of the Law Society which now hangs in the Law Society's Hall, and the Marquess of Downshire. She also exhibits at the Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition.
The artist explains: “There is always something so magical about experiencing somewhere new; I am filled with the desire to respond to the energy and tranquillity of a place, to capture and distil an atmosphere if I can. I have travelled through India, Myanmar, and parts of South America. Throughout my journeys, I draw and paint, I photograph and collect avidly, creating sketchbooks which record multi facets of the countries visited. These books are then used to inform my work back in the studio at home. It gives me intense pleasure to be able to rekindle the emotions and sensations of these journeys.
Working in the studio I have the delicious freedom to explore colour harmonies, whilst searching to evoke the mood of that moment which has given me the initial inspiration. I hope, in this way, to create an image which both alludes to an experience of mine but that also, at some level, finds a resonance with the experience or imagination of the onlooker.”
