Clare Birtwistle fills us in on her body of work in the Summer '24 exhibition, "Park Water".

1.What initially brought you to art?

I’ve always been creative and obsessed with colour and shapes and the way things looked . I have early memories of being excited over imagery in books and on TV, the patterns on the clothes that I wore , the colour combinations , the detail.

2. What imagery has historically interested you and why?

I am interested in so much imagery it’s hard to pin down. I don’t just look at art , I look at a broad range of design, film, fashion, music and all the imagery that surrounds them. Colour is big thing for me and if I walk into a gallery I’m usually excited by colour and light and the way it affects your mood or if it moves on the canvas or if it makes me feel agitated or happy. 

I would also say I am drawn towards a reductive approach to art and design.

3. How has your process evolved in the last 5-10 years?

I have experimented much more and tried to embrace different mediums, I’m quite impatient, I definitely enjoy the ideas process the most. 

As I also work as a designer I have tried to push myself out of my comfort zone and processes with varying degrees of success. I usually find out what I don’t like in the process and come full circle to things I do like doing and think Ah! That’s why I work like this …..

4. What or who has had the most influence on your work?

My Pantone swatch, it’s well dog-eared now!

What has surprised you about your practice?

How much it keeps on evolving and how my design processes influence the way I make.

5. What is your identity at large? Do you think about this a lot in relation to your art?

Shape shifter, colour twister. No not really I’m a low profile kind of person. My art is one big puzzle I like to work out as I go along.  

6. What is the most precious takeaway from this exhibition?

The experience of being asked to exhibit abroad, which has been great and seeing my work curated alongside other artists.