Recently based back in London, Clare Ashford lived overseas for 30 years. Before taking up painting full time, Ashford worked in fashion design throughout London and Hong Kong. Although largely self-developed as an artist, she has studied both Chinese and Western watercolour painting. This technical background has provided her with the inspiration to experiment with a variety of painting media and subject matter. More recently, Ashford has been concentrating on oils on a canvas support. She has participated in several group and solo exhibitions in Asia and Europe over the past decade, and her work is collected by clients across the world.
The artist writes: "Since moving back to London from Hong Kong, I have been spending some time re-establishing the basics of drawing. Examining spatial relationships and trying to create shape with the interplay of light against dark, concentrating my efforts on still life..
Rather than being bewitched by the unsteady rhythms of the play of light on water as I was in East Asia, I am now fascinated by the commons and parks that surround us in our new home in London. This new environment with the changing seasons is a delight and the brilliance of nature astounding. I have been thinking how best to approach this exciting new subject with all the various weather fluctuations - let's see what happens next!
Painting for me is an all-encompassing activity, much like meditation. I am addicted to the total immersion of the conscious self as I try to grasp the quintessence of my artistic endeavours, the insight gained during the journey taken, being more significant than the destination.
The process of painting is somewhat like having a conversation, albeit with myself. Involving my art with an audience is the sharing of those private conversations – daunting but inevitable. In the resulting work I hope that I am able to point towards the wealth of beauty that surrounds us in the rich spectacle of everyday life.
My observation is that many people don’t seem to have the time or inclination to properly ‘see’ the things that surround them, particularly with regard to today’s increasing reliance on digital technology, which seems to get in the way of an authentic experience."