~ by Lesley Hammocks
On a chilly St. Patrick's Day my front door opened to the vibrant
warmth of Clare Singleton. She entered with the rain of the
day jewelled on her red hair, green jacket and scarf and a smile
wishing me, "the top o' the mornin'." Clare arrived with a number
of colourful canvases she is donating to the SASS-e show and the
office and to chat about herself and how her art has evolved over
the years and ultimately her retreat to her Meacham studio in
Saskatchewan next month.
Born in Victoria, to English and Irish parents, she was the youngest
of five children and knew by the age of 13 that art was her destiny
even though her parents wanted a more conventional future for
her. In 1978, after completing grade 12 at Brentwood College, Clare
hitchhiked with her portfolio to Nelson where she gained entry
to the Kootenay School of Art at the David Thompson University
(affiliated to the University of Victoria). Her financial support came
from a tough nightshift schedule of nursing.
Clare has always been a location painter and as such has
witnessed the changes in small town Canadian life that are similar
to her own existence. A Life Journey series, which allows her to
meditate on her own life and surroundings, has given her the
ability to form her artistic views into a community of changes. An expressionistic story artist, Clare now has 15
self-published, narrative/illustrated books – two of which have been approved by Literacy BC. Along with this
output of creativity Clare is kept busy as a substitute English teacher and deckhand.
In the 1980s and 90s Clare was active on the CVAC Board and believes in reaching out. "As a professional
artist, I really believe in bridging with society – especially youth," she says. Clare is articulate in her philosophy
as an artist, emphasizing, "We have a responsibility to look after ourselves in order to promote growth within ourselves.
Detachment and boundaries are huge as they help delineate every aspect of our life – which includes our art."
Recently, Clare found herself surrounded by people with addictions. She turned to Al-non for support – an organization for
friends and family of addicts. "It is from involvements, such as with this group, that I have experienced a wealth of personal
growth," she reports.
Clare's latest work is a series about the concept of Home. It makes use of deconstructed paintings and stuffed, sewn maps of
Canada to parallel her series on Small Town Canada. In her piece 'Tent on Vancouver Island' (shown) she is exploring the fragile
transient nature of home. The idea of removing the pieces like a portable storybook appeals to her artistic versatility. Clare has
a show on her Life Journey series at Gallery Gachet in Vancouver in June. This is a CARFAC Gallery that pays artists' fees allowing
the focus to be on the vision of the artist and not the product.
You can visit Clare's website at www.claresingletonartist.ca
|
