About Me - Clare Allan

I am an artist printmaker from New Mills in the High Peak. I create etchings and charcoal landscapes and street scenes in a unique style, layering colour over black and white drawings. I use charcoal, rubber and rag on paper or canvas, then layer colour on my drawings with pastel or paint. I combine several viewpoints into one single composition (something which photography can't do, so commissions are completely original and unique).

I am a member of The Hot Bed Press Printmakers studio in Salford, and am currently working on a new series of etchings.

I work from my studio in the Peak District town of New Mills which overlooks the mountain Kinder Scout.  My drawings capture the essence of a place, and the grit stone landscape and the industrial heritage of the area provides much of my inspiration.  From mountain footpaths to city streets, my drawings depict every day scenes with warmth and wit.

Kinder Scout charcoal and pastel drawing including kinder reservoir and shooting cabin
'.. but I am a free man on Sunday' print inspired by the Kinder Mass Trespass of 1932

During my Fine Art degree at Humberside University I specialised in printmaking.  Working in the graphic tradition, I adopt the process of layering used in the craft of etching and screen printing. Specialising in large statement pieces, my originals are often 1m wide or larger. Landscapes on this scale give the feeling they could almost be stepped into.

Swizzel's Matlow winter snow scene in New Mills, High Peak Derbyshire, Peak District
Swizzel's Hill 2 - a winter scene in my home town of New Mills

Although I  work  from observation, I am not interested in making a literal representation of what I see. I often distort perspective and combine several viewpoints into one composition to describe a certain place, and how it feels to be there. Artistic license is used to get the most out of composition.  For example commissions can include specific people, animals, buildings which are no longer there etc.

 

After graduating from Art School I spent some time travelling and working abroad before moving back to my home town of New Mills. I worked as a jobbing artist for over 20 years across many areas. I have painted murals in Holland, designed logos and created illustrations for the National Trust, and worked as a Community Artist in London and across the High Peak. 

I run a weekly life drawing group, and have also taught drawing and painting techniques at several Art Groups. In 2018 I was an Artist in Residence at The International School of Zug and Luzern in Switzerland, and led drawing workshops in the stunning Lauterbrunnen Valley below the Swiss Alps.

Peveril of the Peak tradional Manchester pub
Peveril Of The Peak - depicting an iconic Manchester pub in the middle of a modern urban landscape

I have work in private collections across the globe, and I have exhibited in Galleries  in London, Holland and the North West. I have a large range of my work for sale in my shop. There is something for every budget from large original statement pieces to affordable limited edition fine art quality giclee paper prints. I also produce a range of fine art canvas prints. My fine art prints provide a quality seldom seen these days in mass produced photo style cheaper products.