My Story

I am an Artist Educator based in the East Midlands. In 2016, I founded and now run Bus and Bird Arts, a participatory arts organisation creatively connecting communities. As an artist, my own practice is multi-disciplinary and inspired by everyday stories and the natural world. I graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a First Class BA Hons degree in Crafts having specialised in Ceramics and Textiles. My ceramic sculptures enabled me to win the Ninth INAX Design Prize for Europeans and have a residency in Tokoname, Japan.

 

I have been involved in public art projects for over two decades, working on creative projects with diverse groups of people from early years, families, SEND pupils, schools, GRT groups & refugees through to socially isolated adults with mental health issues and complex needs. Work has ranged from a permanent hosiery installation for Mansfield Museum’s ‘Made in Mansfield’ gallery, Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries’ Visual Artist on their ‘Home Cooked Heritage’ Heritage Fund project through to being appointed Portable Heritage Resources Project Manager for Miner2Major. I am currently working for St Mary Magdalene Church, Newark as the visual artist on their ‘Reawakening’ community arts project, as an artist in residence for Captivate and as one of Inspire’s ‘Little Creatives’ artists.

 

A few months after university, my ceramic sculptures enabled me to win the 9th INAX Design Prize for Europeans alongside Daniel Levi from Amsterdam! A residency in Tokoname, Japan was part of my life changing prize. I delighted in being fully immersed in a different culture and cycling past stunning wooden buildings on my way to the studio. I hope to return to Japan one day to learn more about Japanese pottery traditions. Returning home from Japan, I went straight onto a PGCE course in Manchester & afterwards worked as an Art Teacher for almost 2 decades before moving back to Nottinghamshire and setting up 'Bus and Bird Arts' in 2016.

 

Alongside my passion for participatory arts, I make my own art work as 'Curious Clare' which I very much enjoy. I create in a small garden studio and delight in watching the local wildlife from my shed windows. My practice is multi-disciplinary.

 

I aim to ‘tread lightly’ with my consumption of resources by reusing materials and experimenting with my own homemade inks, papers or glazes created from waste products and natural materials. Being sustainable is a huge part of my ethos and to offset my environmental concerns, I create my own unique papers from kitchen or garden waste and stains for ceramics from metal scraps. The processes takes time and are deeply satisfying with each piece being unique as each time seasonal variations occur.