Clare Millen

To begin a painting is to embark upon a journey into the unknown, the final destination is perceived but rarely in focus before I start. Memory, experience and intuition guide me along a solitary creative path, strewn with twists and turns, to arrive at a place often unexpected, yet always inherently familiar. Inspired by a trilogy of the elements – land, sky and sea – my paintings are abstract visions and amalgamations of memories, moods and feelings. They are nowhere yet everywhere. Places that resonate within us all.

I work in layers, building, scraping and scoring surfaces to expose the history of colour and surface I have laid down. I am led by what is revealed and work intuitively until I feel the piece is complete. This process of laying colour down in a chance way is thrilling but also exasperating at times. Many hours and many layers of paint can either fly or die in front of my eyes. I’m often defeated and have to walk away. However when a painting does work it is a deeply satisfying feeling – one that compels me to repeat the process again and again.

I have exhibited my work both nationally and internationally and I have been an active member of Cambridge Open Studios for nearly two decades. I currently divide my time between my own studio practice, teaching and lecturing in Cambridge and training other art teachers working overseas for Cambridge University