Clare Rennie RSW

I use mixed media techniques and water-based paints to evoke a memory of time and place in my work. I am primarily interested in and influenced by architectural structures and in creating a sense of atmosphere with which to surround them. Fragments from paper ephemera and vintage wallpaper are incorporated into the background of my paintings, creating surface textures which suggest the patina of age and which hint at the ethereal. More recently, I have been printing onto handmade Japanese paper, which I build up in layers to use as a painting surface. I am interested in the absorbency this creates as it allows me to build up wash upon wash of paint until the desired intensity of patination is achieved without the piece becoming oversaturated.

I take inspiration from the ornate architectural details found in Venetian Gothic and Byzantine inspired buildings. Quatrefoil windows and ogee arches feature heavily in my work. These decorative elements possibly stem from my roots in jewellery and silversmithing, as they are often reminiscent of the filigree and cloisonne techniques I employed in my design work. I also have a fascination for Victorian structures, from the buildings found in Scottish cities to botanical glasshouses and seaside piers.