Artist Statement
I’m always trying to get to know myself better. As an ever-evolving being, I view my paintings as a visual time capsule of my life’s moments—a collection of memories and lessons learned. I look to the mundane for inspiration; I find that the people and places that I regularly surround myself with are an honest reflection of myself. My instinctive attraction to certain people and places reveals the patterns of my life. I photograph certain scenes because of their vibe; the way their color, composition, or atmosphere captures a mood. By painting from these photographs, I’m able to amplify and customize the reality of these instances. My current series focuses on my friendships that formed because of shared vices. As I distance myself from these situations, I reexamine my visual time capsule with more perspective on how substances caused me to romanticize many of my personal relationships.
Biography
Boulder-based painter, Claire Stufflebeam, draws inspiration from the mundane. Through intimate paintings of everyday life, she adds significance to moments that may otherwise be forgotten and eternalizes them on canvas. Her current work reflects on her comfort with the people, places, and activities she indulges in daily. Specifically, she questions the stability of her friendships with a foundation in a mutual interest in alcohol. She was named as a finalist in the 2021 King Award Exhibition. Currently, she is working to obtain her BFA at the University of Colorado. She plans to continue to develop her practice post-graduation.
Left image: Girlfriends, oil on dumpster trash, 2021, 9” x 12”
Instagram handle: @stuffle.art
Claire Stufflebeam, "Primitive Needs," oil on canvas, 2021, 12” x 9”
Artwork
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