claire west: a shot of happiness

~ jama

If this isn’t joy personified I don’t know what is.

One glance at Claire West’s exuberant splash of colors and you’re smiling, your heart’s beating a little faster, you. are. UP!

Say goodbye to even a tiny case of the winter doldrums as your eyes drink, drink, drink it all in. Wow. Gorgeous. Whoa. More, please.

Claire hails from Hull in East Yorkshire, England. She initially trained as an interior designer at Newcastle Art College before studying part time for seven years to earn her Fine Arts degree from Humberside University.

Claire with her border collie Flossie

She then began doing freelance work for television production companies, who featured her work in TV programs. She’s exhibited her paintings and linocuts all over the UK and also teaches painting and printmaking workshops.

Claire paints because it makes her happy, and she hopes her pieces make others feel the same way. She strongly believes in the power of color therapy to uplift the spirit.

She works mainly on canvas with acrylics and ink, creating texture via layers of paint and splattering/random dripping.

As is evident in her work, her method is free flowing and spontaneous — she likes experimenting and remaining open to see where the colors take her, what patterns develop. I like the energy and playful sophistication in her pictures.

Also cool? She claims children’s book creator Eric Carle was her earliest artistic influence. Other favorite artists include Rex Ray, John Piper, Jasper Johns, Mary Fedden, and David Hockney. She’s never wanted any other job than to be an artist.

She’s partial to still lifes, landscapes, animals, birds, and flowers, getting ideas from many sources such as country walks, fashion, and shopping!

For more, visit Claire’s Official Website, FB Page or Etsy Shop, where you can purchase prints, cushions, wall plaques, and cards.

Happy, Happy!

*Copyright © 2021 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

21 thoughts on “claire west: a shot of happiness”

  1. I think I just spent time with some gorgeous art that made me happy! What a beautiful gallery show, Jama.

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  7. I kept trying to choose a favorite, but gave up, Jama. I guess they’re all my favorites! What beautiful talent & imagination from Claire! Your sharing is lovely on my gray & snowy day! Thank you!

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  10. How fabulous!!! I need to be buying some of her art, there is one in particular that I loved of a jug of daffodils with some Clarice Cliff mugs nearby. I am amazed that she is from Hull and has so much joy in her work. I grew up in Hull and moved away as soon as I could, I think of it as a drear and unhappy place. Obviously we don’t all have the same background in the same places but I am amazed by the joy in her pictures.

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    1. Nice to hear you like Claire’s work, Kay! I haven’t been to Hull, but have visited parts of West Yorkshire. Interesting to hear your observations about Hull. No matter where she’s originally from, or where she lives now, it’s evident that Claire has an inner spirit of joy that comes out in her paintings. I imagine art serves as a form of therapy for her as well.

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