Clare Benson
I studied art at Stoke on Trent College of Art for four years, and before embarking on a teaching career, worked in the design department of the Royal Doulton factory creating decorative designs for fine china tea and dinner sets in th3eir then contemporary ranges. I then taught visual arts to High School students in the UK and alter after migrating to Australia in NSW. The last 30 years spent with the Catholic Education Department, until retiring in 2001.
Knowing that I wanted to dedicate my retirement years to painting I almost accidentally discovered botanic art through friends who being inspired by an exhibition of Ferdinand Bauer’s work, set up the Botanical Art Society of Australia. This society grew and has members not only from every State in Australia, but also in about eight overseas countries. For a few years I was a committee member and enjoyed watching the Society grow.
At Roseville I attended classes with Barbara Duckworth and Lesley Elkan, with friends I went to workshops with Susannah Blaxill, Mary Ann Mein, Helen Fitzgerald, Annie Hughes Jennifer Small and many others where I examined flowers and leaves and wrestled with the techniques of watercolour (never having worked seriously in this medium before). Gradually I mastered something of paint application and have tentatively dabbled with coloured pencils and acrylic paints but obviously these different media need a lot of practice. I also print my own greeting cards from scans of my painting and this is a satisfying creative pursuit.
I have exhibited my work with BASA, Canberra Botanica, Botanica, the NSW Society of Miniature Art and in many other exhibitions. I am always striving to do better and am grateful to the hardworking teachers out there who with their patience and dedication inspire us all.
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Aquilegia sp.
columbine
200 x 290 mm
Watercolour
$690.00
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