Taking Notes
with Shannon Claire, a visual artist and the director of customer relations for 180 Medical in Oklahoma City
MOST OF MY work originates in Idea Books, portable notebooks that help me spontaneously capture impressions and emotions. This intimate format also allows for spreads, where pieces can be developed as pairs that complement and inform each other. Mixed media, including watercolor and gouache, provide a sense of energy and movement that I find exciting.
My creative work is intuitive, often inspired by the natural world. I explore ideas that, for me, live just beyond the reach of words. When I paint, I engage in a type of spiritual “call-and-response” where questions are raised and clues are discovered as the work develops. Each of my pieces becomes a visual record of these explorations.
Over the years, creative expression has become a guiding principle in my life, not limited to art. My family, professional career outside of art, and my creative work weave together and nurture meaningful connections in all areas of my life.—SHANNON CLAIRE
The inside front and back covers, The Free and The Faithful, of this issue of ArtDesk are by Shannon Claire, a visual artist and the director of customer relations for 180 Medical in Oklahoma City. She studied fine art at the University of Oregon and holds a degree in journalism from Ball State University.
