IN THE BEGINNING

What began almost by accident has become a collection about returning to something elemental: nature, memory, pattern and the simple act of making a mark. Inspired in part by my travels through Australia and Tanzania, as well as the landscapes close to home, these paintings explore a quieter palette and a more pared-back visual language.

IN THE BEGINNING is about beginnings in many forms—the first mark on a blank canvas, the patterns we find in nature, and the memories and places that quietly shape us over time.

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“Claire’s works create joy. Vibrant, unexpected color palettes, inventive use of negative space, and dreamy washes alongside whimsical applications of super-thick paint stoke the viewer’s imagination.”

- Dave Tirio (musician and visual artist)

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Latest blog posts

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  • Gentle reminders for returning to your studio

    Gentle reminders for returning to your studio

    I've always loved that first quiet moment in the studio before anything begins. The room is still. Yesterday's painting is waiting on the easel, exactly where I left it, and...

    Gentle reminders for returning to your studio

    I've always loved that first quiet moment in the studio before anything begins. The room is still. Yesterday's painting is waiting on the easel, exactly where I left it, and...

  • What we inherit

    What we inherit

    What do we inherit from our families besides genetics? In this personal essay, artist Claire Desjardins reflects on creativity, curiosity, resilience, and the quiet gifts that are passed from one...

    What we inherit

    What do we inherit from our families besides genetics? In this personal essay, artist Claire Desjardins reflects on creativity, curiosity, resilience, and the quiet gifts that are passed from one...

  • Forest and Water: following nature’s rhythm

    Forest and Water: following nature’s rhythm

    In my new painting, Forest and Water, layers of earthy colour and flowing forms explore the movement, connection, and rhythms found throughout the natural world. In this post, I share some...

    Forest and Water: following nature’s rhythm

    In my new painting, Forest and Water, layers of earthy colour and flowing forms explore the movement, connection, and rhythms found throughout the natural world. In this post, I share some...

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