Claire Rhodes
Claire Rhodes is an artist based in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, working in sculpture and assemblage from found objects, wire, wood, ceramics, foam and latex.
She holds a BA in Fine Art from Colchester Institute, having previously studied fine art and design at Cambridge Regional College. She has exhibited at The Minories in Colchester and at the Hay Gallery, and has made commissions for Clacton Creatives' seafront and town art trails.
Artist Statement
Working within the context of a family environment I construct work vicariously as a way to attempt to visualise and reflect back the hidden disabilities of my two children. Listening to their detailed descriptions and endless physical, mental and emotional ramifications of hidden pain I then manifest these descriptions through a variety of methods, disparate objects, techniques and drawn or sculptural forms. The work is then shown back to my children to be, potentially, validated or rejected as appropriate visual responses, thereby giving them the opportunity to locate and validate their own feelings as well as, hopefully, raising awareness about what is a serious and deeply misunderstood issue.