Claire graduated in 1996 with a degree in Fine Art from the University of Humberside. She has worked in a number of educational establishments since: from nursery; primary; secondary and further education to special schools and residential schools. Working as a facilitator, emotional coach, pupil support assistant, art teacher as well as a creative adviser.

Claire has travelled extensively, gaining inspiration from a wide variety of different cultures and locations such as: Tanzania; Budapest; Germany; Jamaica; Ireland; Isle of Man; the Channel Islands; Cornwall and rural Herefordshire along with Isle of Skye and various beautiful locations in Scotland. She strives to create engaging contemporary interpretations through abstract ideas of places or scenes that she has experienced or photographed on her travels. Claire enjoys making paintings of wide – open spaces, which give a feeling of calm isolation where one can be lost in thought. Yet she also likes to create images that demand attention and are full of a unique commination of pattern, texture, colour, nature and nostalgia – each work possessing an energy of a time and place in my memory.

Themes in Claire’s work are land and seascapes, castles, woods, flowers and portraiture, created with an array of bold bright colours. Spontaneity is an important quality in her work. She is inspired by Scotland’s rugged landscape and lush green fields.

“The huge dramatic skies, and shimmering endless seas provoke an emotional response in me that I simply must share through my art.”