Claire Harden is from Napa, California and currently lives in Corvallis, Oregon. She attends Oregon State University and is working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Claire works at Interzone Cafe and enjoys slacklining, hiking, camping, unicycling and painting.
Claire is hosting an open studio art sale at her apartment on Sunday, June 7th on 9th and Adams between the hours of 2 and 7 p.m. Wine and Appetizers are provided.
Q & A:
1. What is your preferred medium of choice?
Oil paint is my medium of choice but I am recently becoming a fan of egg tempera. My major focus is in painting. Egg Tempera is made with ground dry pigments, water and egg yolk.
2. What inspires your artwork?
The natural beauty of people and things in present state. I began with just drawing portraits and developed a love for the human body and its forms.
3. What art projects are you currently working on?
I am currently working on hair studies that comments on how society relates hair with sex and gender. This summer I’ll begin a nude figure series showing the body in different states; contortion, pressure and exploring the human condition.
4. What female artists have inspired you and your work over the years?
My professor, Julie Green. I’ve learned more from her than any other artist. I feel like it is difficult to learn from someone you’ve never met or seen the process of how they go about doing something.
5. Do you personally identify as a feminist? If so, do you find your feminism has become integrated into our artwork?
Yes! In some recent works, yes. I have only recently attempted a more content based work, which included paintings of an armpit of a female that had her hair grown out. I was commenting on women’s oppression based on how they style or grow their hair.
6. What are your future goals as an artist?
My future goals: To go where I find inspiration and keep learning. Near future goals: Graduate college and work on finding an internship or job related to my degree. I would love to intern with another artist. I find so much inspiration working closely wit someone.
7. What advice do you have for aspiring female artists?
To try EVERYTHING! Every kind of art you can find. I often sign up for classes not knowing what they are and fall in love with another form of art I never knew existed. Being well-rounded in the arts is a quality well-appreciated and will take you far.
By: Karen Osovsky