Having originally studied painting and drawing, I discovered printmaking later when I took classes at the Corcoran College of Art in [Washington] DC and at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Maryland. As soon as I tried printmaking I was immediately captivated by it. This art form gave me an outlet for all of my creative identities: draftsman, photographer, digital artist and painter.
What is your favorite print medium and why? Although I love all forms of printmaking, I am especially drawn to screenprinting because it lets me easilycombine layers of color and imagery from my drawings, paintings and photography. Although screenprinting is often associated with flat, poster-like images, through the use of new techniques including building many layers, sanding and sponging ink through the screen, it can also produce prints with texture and painterly surfaces.
Tell us about your work:
As far as process goes, after coming up with a concept, I often use the computer to develop an initial sketch as well as the transparencies, but then I depend on my background in drawing and painting to make decisions about color, value, shape, texture and composition. Ultimately, I try to maintain a balance between process and feeling.
My latest prints deal with the theme of navigation. I am interested in working with signs and symbols that represent our attempts to chart a course through life and the physical world. This year I will produce work for a solo show in 2013, and will attempt to do more experimental printing, working with alternative materials such as textiles and bamboo. I’d really like toget the imagery out of the boundaries of the picture frame.
How do you promote your work?
Regarding shows and sales, I exhibit at the Washington Printmakers Gallery, outside Washington, D.C. I opened my Etsy shop a while back but only recently have had time to promote it. Etsy is a fun place to connect with artists from all over the world. Promoting my work is challenging, but I’m getting more comfortable doing it online through Facebook, by sending out emails to contacts periodically, and by simply talking to people about my work more often.
Tell us about your studio space:
I go to a screenprinting studio in Washington, DC which I can rent by the day and is big enough to allow me to work on large pieces. Now my kids are 8 and 12, I have more time for art, but there's still a lot of juggling going on, a scenario probably familiar to most artists with kids. I try to carve out time every day for art, even if it's a short period.
A random fact about me: I'm the child and grandchild of DC painters and a native Washingtonian. There aren't many of those!
3 comments:
Great interview. Clare, your work is amazing.
great interview!
Clare, your work is amazing
Inspiring person, inspiring work
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