claire fletcher: stepping back in time

~ jama

 

This is probably the first Claire Fletcher painting I ran into several years ago and I’ve been in love with her work ever since.

As usual, I was probably searching for bears and this piece caught my eye because it contains a real bear as well as a teddy. There was much “ooohing and ahhhhhing” in the Alphabet Soup kitchen, so naturally I had to find out more.

Here’s a picture of Claire. Don’t you love her braids?

 

 

She lives in Hastings, a seaside town/fishing port on the southern coast of England. It looks like she collects vintage toys and ephemera. My kind of person!

This is the bio from her website:

 

Whether it’s her acrylic or watercolor paintings, illustration work, or pen-and-ink drawings, I like them all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, who could resist this?

 

 

What a face! So endearing. 🙂

There’s an old-fashioned, nostalgic feel about her pictures, like they belong in a vintage storybook — a comforting, safe place featuring children and animals. It’s a simpler time when summer never seemed to end. Do you remember the freedom to play when you were little?

 

 

 

 

 

Since she lives near the sea, it’s natural that many of her paintings are set there — kids and animals enjoying themselves at the seashore, having their own adventures.

 

 

 

I especially love these rabbit-y paintings:

 

 

 

 

 

So sweet!

Yes, she has illustrated children’s books. Her first picture book, The Seashell Song (1993) won the Mother Goose Award.

 

 

Here are a few more titles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claire is co-founder and director of Made in Hastings, a shop that exhibits and sells her art in addition to the work of more than sixty other local artists. Click through to see the variety of merchandise available for online purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And do visit Claire’s Official Website to enjoy more of her work!

Copyright © 2020 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

19 thoughts on “claire fletcher: stepping back in time”

    1. Yay — glad you love her work as much as I do, Ashley. Since you’re a beach lover, these would have special appeal for you. Her bio is indeed very clever. I love anything snail mail related. 🙂

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  6. Her art is beautiful, and I agree–it definitely has a classic and nostalgic quality. I love the dogs 🙂

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  9. Thanks so much for this introduction to Claire’s work, Jama. I love it!! It definitely has a classic, old fashioned feel to it–but without being stuffy. Our library has a couple of her books–can’t wait to check them out!

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