About Claire's Art Journey

About Claire

and her Artistic Journey

Wax, ink and watercolour painting as developed

by Claire Botterill

I was in the first year of my ceramics degree and as was the fashion in the 1970’s watercolour painting was not taught on our art foundation course.

My fellow student had a bijoux box of Windsor and Newton watercolours.

I experimented with her paints and fell head over heels in love with the translucency and pure colour so I started using watercolours for designing my ceramics and glass.

The discovery of how to make the appearance of a shimmer of light on a distant ocean by drawing with a candle on watercolour paper really caught my imagination.

The wax marks breaking through the tints of watercolour was something I was really inspired by.

This developed into a direct relationship between the 2D my drawings and 3D my ceramics.

I used Crayola crayons and applied all the beautiful rich colours and discovered how they enhanced textures in architectural drawings and gave rise to many more applications.

The inclusion of Parker Quink in the drawing process holds all the elements together for a harmonious effect.

Biography

I am always developing my original paintings with new ideas, colour ways and techniques.

I currently run art courses and teach at my home studio in Warwickshire and at the Ten 2 Gallery in Hinckley.

I provide popular demonstrations, talks and workshops throughout the U.K.

In the past I ran my own ceramics studio for several years selling through trade to galleries around the country.

I have also worked freelance sculpting for a major stone ornament company which exported globally and supplied major high street stores.

Commissioned by A&C Black to write Clay for People for with Special Needs, published 2001

Established and ran the pottery and art departments in an NHS hospital and several local authority day centres for people with special needs

I studied Industrial Ceramics to gain a B.A. Honours.

Events and exhibitions

Mitchell Gallery, Warwick
Michaelmas House, Market Bosworth
Ten 2 Gallery, Hinckley, Leicestershire
Spring Fair Birmingham N.E.C. 2014 and 2015
Various local art festivals such as Market Bosworth and Burbage in Leicestershire
Patchings Art Festival 2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019, 2020 cancelled due to the Coronavirus
Society of Graphic Fine Art annual Open Menier Gallery Southwalk London Oct 2014
Art Alert Nuneaton taking part in workshops and exhibitions
Photiq, Leamington Spa
Artysan, Stow

Testamonials

“ Thank you for such an enjoyable evening yesterday. Everyone was buzzing as they left at the end, with plans to put what they had learnt into practice. You will be hearing from us when we plan next year's program, as a workshop will be requested. “

Jean P

The committee would sincerely like to thank you for the inspiring, interesting and thought provoking time we spent with you. All of the students went away enthused and eager to try out the techniques and hopefully we will have some lovely pictures for our exhibition next year. Lots of the members would love you to come back in the future to do another workshop so we hope to see you then.

Anthea Arnot ( Chairperson )

“ Thank you so much for a really interesting and inspiring workshop. One of the best we have had. “

Jenny

“ Thank you for an inspirational workshop. Feedback from the attendees was very, very positive. They enjoyed the techniques and instruction and many felt it will help them to be more 'loose' with their work. Thank you again for such an enjoyable, supportive and informative time. “

Judy

Thank you Claire for the most

amazing day.

Glenise

10 years ago I made a phone call. I wanted to learn to paint!! I had no real concept of what it meant!! My mother was a trained artist so I never felt good enough to have a go.

Claire changed my views about my ability!! I have used all sorts of medium over the past 10 years and managed to achieve pastel portraits of my grandchildren. Using Claire's unique style of ink wax and water colour, I have paintings that I have felt good enough to frame - seed heads, doors, bridges and windmills to name a few. My 4 panel silver birch wood in acrylics hangs in my sun room!

I have been lucky to find a tutor who will work with my abilities and find ways to help me achieve successful outcomes but also to make sure I learn from things that didn’t go so well. We don't do failure we do learning!!!

Thank you Claire From Adrienne.

Just want to say a very big thankyou for the last few months.

I have learnt such a lot(and forgotten a lot) under your guidance. You have encouraged me to do things which I was afraid of, building my confidence week by week. I can’t tell you how much I love Tuesday afternoons and I’m looking forward to see what new things I can learn next year.

Thanks also to Arthur for all those perfect cups of tea .

Hope you have a wonderful Xmas see you next week Tx