Claudia's Art
Inspiration
I was always excited about Matisse’s beautiful women, Hundertwasser’s vivid colors on black and Chagall’s dream-like paintings of floating love and flowers.
For many years my inspiration was the face. I would look on trains, in markets, in parks for the person I would like to paint and often approached them and painted them carried by their energy. Then tides turned and I was blessed with visiting the island of Maui in Hawaii where Georgia O’Keeffe’s famous Waterfall originated in Iao Valley. My mind was consumed with jungle – thick exotic leaves and deep deep color.
Now after 23 years of living here, this jungle comes out of me with hundreds of flowers of all forms and color.
"Botanical Display"
Techniques
My initial passion has been oils. I love oils and the many colors one is able to create with flowing malleable oils.
However, post South Africa, in my 38 moves around the globe, we often had to leave much of our belongings so I had to find something I could pack up in a bag. The answer was silk or cotton with beautiful dyes, painting for fashion, utility and art in the form of cloths, scarves and sarongs.
I have continued portraits but moved to acrylics for their quick drying attributes. Oils will always be my first love.
"Roses are red, yellow, and blue."
Career Highlights
My favorite of my 23 showings was at Jacob’s-Liknaitzky Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa. We had 650 attendees and it was lauded as one of the most successful openings at that time.
It has been easy for me to approach people anywhere and ask them to sit for a painting – so I have met amazing characters – a Zulu lady who told us folk tales as we painted her, a girl who claimed to be a witch and told us about her dark arts, workmen who described their tasks.
I went to townships in Cape Town, and taught senior men and women who had never held a paintbrush in their lives.
In Hawaii, I taught pre-school children all painting one painting as a group with astounding results.
"Hawaiian Lady"
Pivotal Exhibitions
Year | Title |
|---|---|
1984 | Johannesburg Art Foundation (group) |
1990 | Jacob’s-Liknaitzky Gallery Cape Town (solo) |
1991 | Exhibition of Cloths at the Matisse Gallery Kalk Bay ( solo) |
1992 | West Coast gallery (group) |
1992 | Cape Town Art Festival (Waterfront) |
1993 | Art Tour member – ongoing (Arlene Traub) |
1994 | Exhibition of Cloths at the Matisse Gallery Kalk Bay ( solo) |
1995 | The S.A. Gallery of Visual Arts Exhibition “The Rainbow People” |
1996 | Exhibition of Cloths, Theo Naude Gallery, Worcester ( solo) |
1997 | Zonnebloom Wine Label competition exhibition |
1998 | “Butterfly world” silk collection Butterfly World Franschhoek |
2000 | South African flowers silk collection for West Coast Gallery |
2001 | Lynberg Art Foundation (solo) |
2002 | WEA exhibition Slough UK |
2003 | Art exhibited in Livingston studios Honolulu |
2005 | July Fabric Art exhibit 1135 Bishops Court Entrance Honolulu |
2006 | Exhibit Fabric Art Michaels Santa Maria California |
2007-12 | Teaching & Workshop shows in Textile Art |
2013-14 | Open studio storefront - San Pedro, California |
2017 | Extended Exhibit at Morning Brew - Kailua, Hawaii |
2019 | Extended Exhibit at Morning Brew - Kailua, Hawaii |
2022 | Hawaii Craftsmen Exhibition – Downtown Art Center, Honolulu, Hawaii |
2022 | Go Figure – Life drawing exhibition, Downtown Art Center, Honolulu, Hawaii |