Claire Slater

Name: Claire Slater

How Long Have You Been An Artist For? I have always been keen on drawing and painting. I did a pencil drawing of a horse for a local Agricultural Show at age 11 and won 50 cents!!

Favourite Medium and Why? Love painting in acrylics, as I like to work fast.

Your Favourite Subject to Paint? Faces and abstracts seem to be my thing – I’m not keen on doing realism, as I like being creative and spontaneous.

How Has Your Background and History Affected Your Art? I guess, now that I am retired, it’s certainly given me more time to indulge in doing what I love!

What Was The First Artwork You Sold? It would have been a large semi-abstract of a girls face.

What Work Are You Most Proud Of? A large semi-abstract of the local jetty!

Is It Hard to Part With Your Paintings? Not at all! I love that someone appreciates my work enough to hang on their wall!

Are There Any You Wished You’d Kept? Not really – even though, parting with ‘Alex’ (Pearce) wasn’t easy!

Do you have a funny or interesting story about your art journey? I did donate a painting for a fundraiser, that raised money for a charity!

How Do You Set Up A Painting Session? I set up in my dining room, which has a full wall of floor to ceiling windows, with great light. Out come the paints and brushes, music playing in the background and then I start having fun!

What’s on your easel? A semi-abstract girls face that will be entered into ‘Art in the Park’ in January next year!

Favourite Artist? I would have to say Brett Whiteley, for his sensual and lyrical paintings of interiors, nudes and harbour scenes.

Which Famous Artwork Do You Wish You’d Painted/Created? David Hockney’s “The Splash”. I also loved Henri Matisse’s ‘The Dance (1)’ when I saw it in New York, as it was way bigger than I expected (260 cm x 391 cm)!

What’s One Piece of Advice You Can Offer? Just have fun and experiment! Accidents can sometimes turn into something special!

As An Artist, What Are Your Goals for the Next 5 Years? To keep on learning and improving, to stay creative and unique!

How long have you been involved with the Busselton Art Society? For at least 12 years, after doing workshops with Lynne Holden.

What’s the thing you love most about being part of the Busselton Art Society? It’s great to have a gallery to display and sell original artwork, with like minded fellow artists!