CLAIRE CAVANNA

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Interpreted by Sung Oribe
Prelude from Cello suite number 1
Public Domain Mark 1.0

CLAIRE CAVANNA

PAINTER

Oyster Bay, NSW, Australia

Claire hired me to make a film showing her practice and create a set of photographs of her in her studio. When she opened the door of her Bay Window Gallery, at the front of her house in Oyster Bay, I immediately liked her very calm and delicate demeanour. Read More

Photos I took that day…

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Claire has a delicate smile which makes you enter a bubble of peace. Her bubble. She could be showing off, with the huge list of exhibitions and a collection of her work at the National Gallery of Australia! No. She’s a discrete even humble woman who kindly lets you into her world. Then, when she starts to talk about her art or the world, you feel a lot of strength and power behind the gentle smile. Claire is a gently strong woman. She embodies a form of the eternal feminine.

Her work, painted mostly on large canvas, isn’t an exploration of her emotions. She says: “It is a deliberate intent to remove the elements of life that no longer have value and replace with space for reflection along with mark making to punctuate the essence of a composition that delivers a message of peace and contentment.”

As for her personality and presence, her work brings people peace and contentment. It is a wonderful life achievement and I immediately thought of her when I gathered 30 personalities I have filmed, who make the world more beautiful. She accepted to take part of this project and replied to my questions below.

Connect with Claire

@claire_cavanna | clairecavanna.com

INTERVIEW

The intent of my work is to provide a space for reflection and meditation. I hope to convey peace and joy from the colours, marks and composition. My work is a slow study with the reward of tranquility for your patience.
My first encounter with original art was at my parents’ home surrounded by the woodblock prints of Hiroshige and Hokusai.
I studied how the images were created using expressive lines and minimal colour, not realising until I was much older, how fortunate I was to have these artworks available for me to explore.
Yes, always wanted to paint and draw. In primary school one of my paintings was exchanged with a student from our sister school in Tokyo. In my first few years at high school I would bring home art books from the library and copy all the known masters of the time. Rembrandt was a favourite as I felt his energy, sincerity and passion even from the printed page - I was quite moved when I saw his original paintings overseas and in the National Gallery Canberra.
Staying within the creative theme - purchasing an Akira Isogawa silk dress - remains my most beautiful item of clothing
In terms of my creative life - draw and paint
When my woodblock prints were purchased for the Australian Print Collection of the Australian National Gallery Canberra in 1992. That was an unexpected and exciting moment. I check every now and then to make sure I haven't been deacquisitioned!
When I was eight years old, I found out that I was Myopic and needed spectacles to see distance (>30cm in front of me) - prior to that moment, I thought everyone saw the world as blurred shapes and colours until you were close up to someone or thing. I used to quickly memorise people's colours, shape and the way they moved before they walked away from me so I could recognise them on approach the next time we met. I would also make sure I would place items in specific places around the home so I knew where they were when I needed them again.
Although this seems like a hurdle it has given me an advantage in my creative process as I have a strong memory for detail.
It also helped me with my process in that, ironically, I choose to convey the minimal amount of detail for my imagery, that is, the basic colours, shapes and movement within the composition.
I don't know how to explain this; within my Myopia I was seeing the world as shapes, colours and movement and I felt in the middle of something that was bigger than me, an element of movement that was still serene - and in a way this is what I want my work to say. (I hope that makes sense?)
(On a side note - when I was 7 years old, I remember my teacher repeatedly hitting me on the back of the hand with a wooden ruler for not copying the words from the blackboard correctly - the teacher would ask if I was 'blind' - in retrospect she didn't put 2 and 2 together to realise I could spell 100% correctly in oral dictation but not copy from the board which should have indicated I couldn't see distance - and at 7 years old, I had no idea I couldn't see like everyone else. She left the school that year, so I wasn't able to tell her, yes, I was 'blind' then)
Hope. A word that in my belief, reflects an expectation of positive outcomes in any given circumstance. It sometimes frustrates me that I always have a sense of hope and can never have a good wallow in misery…
Integrity, Equality, Compassion
No, I tend not to accumulate too many material possessions. I have collected shells and pebbles to remind me of certain events in my life, but these items can be returned to the ocean and earth.
My fondest memories - I always have them with me.
Chocolate
I'm re reading The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben in preparation for my collaboration with glass artist, Tanya Reinli. This is an insightful account of trees and their relationship to each other, the areas where they grow and humans.
KDramas - the rom coms. Indulgent escape from reality
Past Lives - moving, poignant vignette. Yoo Teo is wonderful in this role as I've only seen him in comedies.
When I paint I listen to Arias sung by Philippe Jarousski or electronic dance music or chamber music
Anselm Keifer
Not sure if she'd be classified as an emerging artist - I do admire and covet the glass works of Clare Belfrage.
Across the road from the beach anywhere in Australia, a location that provides a source to heal mind, body and spirit.
Collaborating with glass artist Tanya Reinli from Upcycled Glassware. They upcycle used wine bottles into drinking glasses and other vessels. I am creating designs for Tanya to apply to the glassware - sounds simple but the results will be spectacular and in harmony with preserving the ecological structure of our earth.
Not at this stage - perhaps when the project moves to the next level.