Clare Shaw: Wild In The Wolds
Fast becoming one of the most successful wildlife artists in the UK, Clare Shaw moved to Lincolnshire in 2013. With a home nestled right in the heart of the Wolds, her surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for her artwork.
Taking inspiration from the local countryside, Clare has created many stunning pieces featuring Lincolnshire’s wildlife, their characters now immortalised in magnificent pieces of art that adorn walls in the homes of field sports enthusiasts across the globe.
Much of her time is spent in her studio, overlooking some of the most beautiful scenery that the area has to offer. With that comes a plethora of wildlife and thanks to the surrounding game shoots, plenty of game birds too. Struck by their unique beauty, pheasants fast became Clare’s favourite subject to paint.
“As I started painting them I was so passionate about their movement, the fluttering of the wings and their personalities. I wanted to try and capture that in my work. When I look out of my window I’m overwhelmed by how nature works, how it changes each day,” she said.
Although Clare is fond of clay pigeon shooting with local ladies club Femmes Fatales, it is her love of wildlife and animals that gets her out into the countryside every day, walking or ‘picking up’ on a nearby game shoot throughout the season with her two labradors Winnie and Florence. This of course gives her the opportunity to study the pheasants and partridges she loves to paint.
Not only do Clare’s creations look fabulous framed, 2017 saw her venture into fashion accessories too – sourcing the finest silk manufactured in England, she turned her artwork into statement pieces that have quickly become popular among the most discerning of country ladies and gents, in the form of silk scarves and pocket squares.
Stocked by some of the most prestigious shooting outfitters in the country, her silk pieces are highly sought after and as each design is a limited edition, they do sell extremely fast – but constantly working on new creations and ideas, Clare always seems to keep coming up with something to keep her fans happy.
Her hands-on and personal approach to her customers is something Clare takes seriously. She listens carefully to their suggestions and it is that engagement, particularly on social media, along with her remarkable talent, that has firmly cemented her position as one of the most in demand artists in her field.
Clare’s plans for the future involve more new developments, building on the success of her foray into fashion by including more pieces for gentlemen. Her new range will include ties and suit linings after she was inundated with requests from men who had seen the pieces that have become so popular among ladies that shoot. However, her main passion lies in painting and she will be spending most of her time at the easel in her studio.
“I will be keeping the focus on my commissioned artwork as I’m booked up into 2019, so things are not only busy, but terribly exciting,” she said.
For Clare, success has been a bit of a whirlwind: “I still pinch myself every day. It’s crazy to see how far I’ve come in such a short space of time.” However, she won’t let it go to her head: “I stay humble because if I get arrogant I’d become complacent and that’s dangerous.”
You can see more of Clare’s work by visiting her website www.clareshaw.gallery or keep up to date with her on social media, where she regularly asks her followers to suggest titles for her new works of art.
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