Expression and color have always been important elements in Claire Chene’s work. The two paintings, “Ocean” and “New Forest” in this exhibition were part of a show “True North”, a title which was her compass point for navigating psychological territories, using elements of nature: water, fire and earth.
“Ocean” in three panels, depicts a large tsunami like wave, terrifying and powerful. Calligraphic brush strokes animate the surface of the painting with a seeming torrent of turbulent water, which might overwhelm us or cleanse us in a purifying renewal of life.
Claire Chene was born in Seattle, Washington in 1947 and grew up there and in the desert southwest. She attended Arizona State University at Tempe, Arizona, The University of the America’s, then in Mexico City, Mexico and received a BFA from California State University at Fullerton, California. She lives in Los Angeles, California and has a studio in Venice, California. She has exhibited in Arizona, California and Hawaii.
Website
http://www.clairechene.com
