Claire McElwee
Claire McElwee’s paintings and ceramic works blend dynamic portrayals of flora with the figure and allusions of human presence. She received a BFA from Pratt Institute with a major in painting in 2023.
Claire uses a process of photo overlay to create a digital thumbnail sketch which she then uses as a reference for each painting, straying from direct representation as she develops the work. Filled with vibrant figures and bustling plantlife, her paintings are a celebration of the shared anatomy of all life forms, and her deep emotional connection to the people and spaces around her.
Collect Bean: What does growth mean to you?
Claire McElwee: For me, growing as an artist hasn’t always been linear, and focuses heavily on the pivot point. Growth comes when I take creative risks based on budding artistic affinities. When I think of how I started to fuse images, I was struggling to express enamoration with a memory, and the distortion and overlapping of experiences. Embracing this different technique also helped my exploration of memories grow into something else entirely. I think a struggle leading to a risk is a recipe for growth.
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Claire McElwee: I am currently finding inspiration in finding and cultivating spaces in homage to the natural world, especially whilst living in an urban environment. Drawing connections between the makeup of plants and the anatomy of people, inside and out, has been most inspiring to me lately. Plants are, after all, the organisms closest to the earth and I feel I can learn a lot from them as the world’s oldest cultures have for centuries.
Collect Bean: What role does color play in your practice?
Claire McElwee: My works are often selectively oversaturated. There is a special emphasis on cool greens and blues, with some exception of course. These bright colors are still, to me, natural, and reflect the vivacious quality of the flora being depicted. The colors are meant to convey a vibrancy of life, and the greens become a chlorophyll allusion.
Collect Bean: How do you decide on the subject matter for a painting?
Claire McElwee: When choosing the types of plants and figures, I consider the spaces these images were taken in, the emotional connection I have to these memories, and how they may interplay. For example, an image of morning glories blooming near my home, with their trumpet blossoms and heart-shaped leaves, may correspond to ruminations of pride, yet private tenderness and elegance, in a person I know. I also pay attention to the mirroring of certain anatomical features of the figure and plants like stubble and hairy vines.
Collect Bean: Do you have a saying that you live by?
Claire McElwee: I stick by the idea of “you only have one option,” especially when doing things that I know will be good for me but make me nervous to begin. I use this idea when applying myself to looking for new opportunities, taking risks as an artist, adding structure into my life, and otherwise stepping outside of my comfort zone. This saying is integral for pushing myself into new experiences and leaping onto pathways for growth.
