A Sense of Place: Clare Thatcher
For artist Clare Thatcher, every painting begins with a place. Working from her studio in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, Clare's practice is shaped by landscapes that leave a lasting impression. She returns to coastlines, tidal estuaries and quiet stretches of land that continue to reveal themselves through changing light, weather and season. These are places she revisits, observing them slowly, allowing each return to deepen her understanding.
Sketchbooks accompany every journey. Loose pencil and Conté drawings become visual notes, recording moments of colour, line and atmosphere rather than exact representations. Back in the studio, these studies evolve into larger charcoal drawings before finally becoming paintings in oil.
At the heart of her practice is drawing, "Drawing feeds my practice," Clare explains. "It is the beating heart of my work and allows me to really see what is in front of me."
Colour is equally central to Clare's work. Rather than relying on ready made paints, she prepares her own oil colours from raw pigment and cold pressed linseed oil, a process that has transformed her relationship with the material itself.
"Making your own paint allows you to really get to know the substance and personality of that particular colour when applied in its purest form."
This connection to place was explored further during Clare's residency at The Booth in Scalloway, Shetland, where she spent time working directly within the landscape. The paintings created during and following the residency formed her Shetland 2024–26 collection, capturing the shifting atmosphere, weather and quiet presence of the islands.
Her paintings are built slowly. Layers of pigment respond to memory as much as observation, carrying something of the place long after she has left it. Although rooted in specific landscapes, the finished works remain open, inviting the viewer to bring their own experiences and associations.
For Clare, a painting is not simply something to be looked at. It becomes part of the character of a room, bringing colour, depth and a sense of place into everyday life. Paired with natural materials and well made furniture, her work quietly shapes the atmosphere of an interior. When asked how she knows a painting is complete, her answer is beautifully simple, "A painting is resolved when it sings to you."
