Clara Mcclenon

My drawings are like poems. Each small work on paper provides an intimate space for beauty and reflection. I love to mix materials—like thick matte black gesso with a bright wash of water color, delicate charcoal pencil with gestural ink – to make creative scenes that become their own world.

As an artist, I’ve been impacted by my study of neuroscience and mysticism. Both have taught me about the wonderous state between knowing and unknowing. I believe that we need more opportunities in our lives to pause, to reflect, to take in just how mysterious it is to be alive. My drawings and prints invite reflection. The symbols I use are recognizable (like rainbows, flowers, figures) but the images I create always contain an element of mystery that allow for multiple levels of meaning. It’s always wonderful to hear the interpretations people bring to the work.

MFA, University of Michigan
MS Information Science, University of Michigan
BS Neuroscience, Washington & Lee University

The Other Art Fair - Brooklyn, NY
The Space Itself - The Boiler, Brooklyn, NY
Farther Along - Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Giverny - DRAWinternational, France
Hypothesis - The Lab, San Francisco, CA
Quiet Accumulations - The Carr Center, Detroit, MI