Claire Harkess
Claire was born in Ayr, Scotland, graduating from Glasgow School of Art in the early 1990s. She was elected Member RSW in 2005. Her work reflects her passion for wildlife and recent work has taken her to the dramatic landscapes of Antarctica, Outback Australia and St Kilda. These environments, where life sometimes has to fight hard for survival, provide inspiration for her delicate watercolours. In July 2020 Claire presented an exhibition Into the Wild, featuring works created in the Arctic Circle and rewilding centres in Scotland.
In the last year Claire also concentrated on a project she named 'One Square Mile' featuring bird and wildlife on her Perthshire doorstep. Although Claire lives in a city centre she also has the River Tay and forest edges within this boundary; "a rich habitat to explore". 'Station Blossom' represents one of her many experiences of lockdown. "Blackbirds at the near deserted train station carry on their business undisturbed. I used the graphic symbol to place them at the scene"
Claire has received numerous awards including 'Wildlife Artist of the Year' - David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation - 2017.