Clare Crines is an artist, painter, jeweller and teacher of botanical illustration. She lives in her hometown of Glasgow. Clare’s work is currently on show at Six Foot Gallery as part of a collaborative exhibition with fellow artist Angela Eames, A Rose Is A Rose…. In this exhibition Clare shows a recent series of oil paintings where she has focused the rose. In a series of square canvasses she explores the delicacy and volumetric properties of this well-known bloom through painterly conventions of shape, colour, light, and composition.

Hi Clare! Can you give us an idea of how you typically approach your creative process from initial inspiration to the completion of your artwork?
For this exhibition I planted quite a lot of flowers in my garden and photographed them over time at different stages of their growth and varying angles. Capturing nature’s cycles at different points and studying real flowers and capturing their diversity is an integral part of my practice. I planted dahlias and yellow roses in particular, which aligned with our theme for this exhibition.

Are there intentional connections or contrasts between each artists’ work in this collaboration?
The intention was for both Angela and myself to consider and show different aspects of perceiving the rose, and other similar flora with close up, detailed studies to experiment with the shape and form across different mediums.

Are there specific advantages or challenges associated with working in your chosen mediums?
I particularly enjoy the spontaneity of painting with watercolours, so for this collection working with oil paints has presented many challenges since that process differs so much from my usual watercolour techniques. The challenge with oil paints lies in the drying time as it can remain wet for up to two weeks.

What do you do to keep motivated and interested in your work?
By setting deadlines for myself each week – that is the best way that I can keep myself on track. But I often find when I leave the studio at night I could have easily stayed on for longer as I get into the creative mindset and enjoy making my work. Though I have to admit, that feeling is slightly different in the mornings!

Which artists inspire you? Are there non-artistic influences such as literature or music that impact your work?
I have an eclectic taste in artists of all different genres and periods but I have found that Georgia O’Keefe has been a prominent inspiration throughout my career as an artist and her influence can particularly be seen in A Rose Is A Rose… in the close up floral subjects.

Will your next project be a continuation of your current style or are you experimenting with something different? Can you share a glimpse of your next project? 
On the run up to this exhibition I have been experimenting with my practice and I would really like to keep following where this current work is taking me. I am enjoying the exploration of the formation of floral studies and have always liked to play with colour when I create.

‘A Rose Is A Rose…’ runs at Six Foot Gallery until Thursday 5th December 2024.