Interview with Clare Caulfield

Tell us about the work you do and the types of materials you use.

I am an artist and printmaker producing work that documents my travels to some of the world’s greatest cities.  My collection included images of Paris, Venice, New York, Rome, Prague, Sydney and Istanbul.  I paint using a variety of media: watercolour, acrylic, pen and pencil mostly on paper but sometimes on canvas too.  I also produce handmade prints, limited edition prints and signed handmade cards all taken from my paintings.

Where do you produce your work? Does your working environment form part of the inspiration for your art?

Working from my studio I produce my paintings, limited edition prints & cards.  I am a member of West Yorkshire Print Workshop in Mirfield.  Here I use their excellent printmaking facilities to make two different types of handmade prints – Screen prints and Drypoints.  Every print produced here is entirely made by hand therefore no two are exactly the same. I also teach the weekend screenprint courses.

Is your art your main job? How did you get started?

Yes, I am a full time artist.  To start with I concentrated on painting alone, the printmaking, limited edition prints and cards came later once I had become more established having my work stocked in a number of galleries and craft shops.

What will you be exhibiting at the Saltaire Arts Trail?

My limited edition prints and handmade cards depicting a range of images including:

• Skating in Central Park     
• View from Academia Bridge Venice
• Notre dame & Parisian Rooftops, and
• Throwing Coins in Trevi Fountain Rome

And closer to home, I will also be showing work based on the historic Shambles in York, the beautiful architecture to be found here in Saltaire and County Arcade Victoria Quarter in Leeds.  I will also have prints available of my recent work of Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay and Staithes.

Do you work in any other mediums besides the work you will be exhibiting at the Arts Trail?

I will be showing all the types of work I do at the ‘Open House’ event.

Where else can we see and buy your work?

Art Parade, Saltaire; Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge; The Craft Centre & Design Gallery, Leeds; Royal Exchange Theatre Craft Shop, Manchester; Cambridge Contemporary Art; Opus Gallery, Ashbourne in Derbyshire which will be showing my solo exhibition of new paintings in JULY 2011

Tell us about your most exciting or memorable commission?

My most recent commission was to produce a painting of County Arcade in Leeds for a man who had just been given a new job in Oxford.  He met his wife whilst studying at Leeds University many years ago and they had lived here ever since so he wanted a special piece of work of Leeds to give to his wife as a memento.  They had seen my drypoint & chine-colle print entitled  ‘Shopping in County Arcade’ and so asked me to produce them a version of this image as a painting using watercolour and pencil. 

What was it about the Saltaire Arts Trail that made you want to apply to exhibit?

I moved to Saltaire just over a year ago and so it seemed like a great opportunity to once again be part of the Arts Trail again but this time not only as an exhibiting artist but also as a homeowner opening up my house as part of the trail!

Have you participated or visited the Saltaire Arts Trail before? What is unique about it and how does it differ from other events?

I have exhibited in the Saltaire Arts Trail since the beginning 5 years ago now each time showing my work in a different house within the village.  It’s a great opportunity for people to experience the wealth of creativity from many local artists and designers whilst also visiting this wonderful World Heritage Site and having a look inside a Titus Salt house at the same time!

Could you leave us with one more interesting fact about yourself or your work?

After graduating from Staffordshire University my first job was as an in-house designer for a children's fashion print studio in Shoreditch London.  I worked here for a couple of years producing designs for clients including Baby Gap, Monsoon, M&S and Donna Karan.  Whilst this was a great opportunity I decided I wanted to move back up to Yorkshire to set up by myself to enable me to develop my own paintings.  The first city I chose to visit for inspiration was Florence.  Opposite my hotel was a lovely boutique selling children’s clothes.  It was in that very shop that I found a little pair of red pyjamas with my design on them that I’d produced in the textile studio in London.  They were in my suitcase back home with me!