Inner Darkness IV Painting

Following graduation, Clarissa worked in corporate design for 10 years in London. In 1995, whilst volunteering for MIND, Clarissa was inspired to change her career path and studied Art Therapy at Goldsmith’s College. 12 years experience as an arts facilitator in various health and social care settings followed. In 2007 Clarissa established Space Today UK; an Arts - Science creative learning company. As Director of Space Today UK, Clarissa has worked extensively in Europe, coordinating Project EMPATHY; a Grundtvig Learning Partnership which created 7 murals with disadvantaged adult learners in 7 countries as part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme. Inspired by light, colour and texture Clarissa’s work explores the influence the Sun has on our emotional world both in how we see and how we feel. Clarissa’s ‘intuitive landscapes’ reflect the duality of light and dark, observing the eternal flow of light that perpetually seeks the shadows of stillness enveloped in the ambiguity of darkness. Her paintings aspire to enable the viewer moments of contemplation and quietude. Clarissa’s compositions originate from small black and white linear sketches that establish the interrelationship between the positive and negative structures. On stretched canvas she creates raised areas of relief with adhesive and carborundum. This is then over painted, usually with white, so that the canvas has the look of an embossed print. Diluted washes of acrylic colour are then applied to emulate ‘light’ illuminating the surface undulations. Rich complementary colours maximise contrast and harmony. Clarissa’s background in Graphic Design and Art Therapy heavily influences the way she approaches her pieces, recurring organic elements are intrinsic to the overall concept of evoking an interplay between the seen and unseen. Clarissa’s current work explores themes linked to both her collaborative experiences in Europe and graphic elements within her arts – science practice.