Deep Shore by Clare Millen [2022]
original
Acrylic
Image size: H:90 cm x W:90 cm
Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:90 cm x W:90 cm x D:4cm
Sold Unframed
Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look
The infinite beauty of nature has the power to heal us.
Clare Millen, Artist, Painter
To begin a painting is to embark upon a journey into the unknown,
the final destination is perceived but rarely in focus before I start.
Memory, experience and intuition guide me along a solitary creative
path, strewn with twists and turns, to arrive at a place often
unexpected, yet always inherently familiar. Inspired by a trilogy of
the elements - land, sky and sea - my paintings are abstract visions
and amalgamations of memories, moods and feelings. They are
nowhere yet everywhere. Places that resonate within us all.
I work in layers, building, scraping and scoring surfaces to expose
the history of colour and surface I have laid down. I am led by what
is revealed and work intuitively until I feel the piece is
complete. This process of laying colour down in a chance way is
thrilling but also exasperating at times. Many hours and many
layers of paint can either fly or die in front of my eyes. I'm often
defeated and have to walk away. However when a painting does
work it is a deeply satisfying feeling - one that compels me to
repeat the process again and again.
I have exhibited my work both nationally and internationally and I
have been an active member of Cambridge Open Studios for nearly
two decades. I currently divide my time between my own studio
practice, teaching and lecturing in Cambridge and training other art
teachers working overseas for Cambridge University.