ABOUT THE ARTIST: (vedi giu, per informazione in italiano!)
I am 37 years old and currently spending time in Italy, repairing a house I am buying here, in order to set up a business around my life-and-work philosophies. Throughout my colourful career, I have used my artwork as a means of first understanding and transforming the self, then as a way of expanding visionary ideas around collective transformation. If all that sounds a bit arty-farty, I am a happy artist setting up an intensive wee creative hub in a magically atmospheric medieval house in the sun! My artwork is connected with dreaming, and with creating our own reality- following our dreams and visions, and continually improving all things. I do not like to show my paintings in galleries, just as I do not like to live a conventional lifestyle, as I have very strong, integrated values, rooted in deep ecology and transforming consciousness. I love to be connected directly with my audience and clients, rather than standing at a distance or behind a screen. I've spent the past 20 yrs developing a unique visual language and deep life experience through a variety of adventures and work situations, from running a residency from a village house in Cyprus, to creating a 100 year plan for the cultural-social-economic transformation of council high-rise communities in Edinburgh.
I'm an avid learner, and always deepening my knowledge on all levels; my practical skills include book-binding, permaculture design, sewing and reconstructing clothing, cooking. I also LOVE fixing things, DIY, solving problems, thinking up magical events, and healing. I follow a spiritual path, seeing the divine in all things, all moments, everyone and every interaction.
I like the image of our energy radiating out beyond our physical body and mind: I like that, if we are conscious about this, we can have a hugely positive influence on the world: we can emit ever-widening circles of good energy. I'm currently working on a book called 'Spiralling Upwards', based partly on this philosphy, and partly on my own life story. In my childhood and teenage years, I experienced some violence in my life, which caused me to be fairly introvert and manic-depressive, and which essentially led to a lifestyle of ups and downs from which I only began to escape in my early 30s. Despite suffering a lot of harship and grief (like most people have), I have found a path into profound health, happiness, inner peace and creative fulfilment (unlike a lot of people). I'm interested in communicating the methods and thinking behind my pursuing such a fulfilling lifestyle, and in sharing my vitality through workshops, events, etc.
During the past year, I have had some of my most despairing moments, but also some of my most satisfying and pride-inducing ones: I'm currently developing new artwork, setting out an ambitious business plan for 'Arthouse Guardia', coordinating volunteers and workplan for the house (which I am certain now, will take many more months to manifest than I originally envisaged!), working on my web presence, building large networks locally and across Europe, establishing a cultural exchange programme (in collaboration with the municipality here in Guardia Sanframondi), and cultivating a vertical garden outside my house! My business in the UK is closing, and am transferring most activities here to south Italy. I'm consolidating my assets and promoting my work and profile out here.
informazione in italiano:
L'ARTISTA
Parallelamente a tutto questo, lei ha evoluto una filosofia integrata e personale sulla spiritualità e sulla guarigione, e sta attualmente scrivendo un libro chiamato 'Spiralling Upwards.' I suoi dipinti non possono essere categorizzati facilmente: sono creati spontaneamente ed intuitivamente, contengono elementi di esperienze profondamente personali che, possono anche essere considerate figure archetipiche o concetti. Le sue immagini alludono alla trasformazione del se, attraverso la consapevolezza della relazione dell'uno con il mondo e, come questa trasformazione sul livello personale irradia all'esterno.
I suoi dipinti sono principalmente figurativi, sui temi della famiglia, le relazioni, l'equilibrio maschio-donna o yin-yang, e la comunicazione col mondo interiore. I suoi quadri contengono storie e sogni, mantra e segreti, e spesso usa il corpo come una metafora della nostra relazione con realtà. L'artista è particolarmente interessata nell'uso delle affermazioni / preghiere / intenzioni per migliorare le nostre vite.
I suoi quadri sono in dipinti con colori ad olio ed acrilici, e Clare usa matita e penna per completare le sue opere scrivendo direttamente su di esse. L'artista incoraggia l'osservatore ad interagire direttamente e personalmente con i suoi lavori, piuttosto che vedendole in modo formale o da distanza.
Clare spesso organizza le sue mostre in contesti spesso informali e, per molti anni, ha allestito eventi "arte e tè " nella sua casa e nella sua una galleria viaggiante. La sua tenda, soprannominata "Secret Shop", è stata una delle principali attrazioni durante le festività di questo agosto a Guardia Sanframondi. Clare mantiene un rapporto dinamico con il suo pubblico, ed è felice di connettersi con nuove realtà in Europa.