Clare Woods

British painter Clare Woods began her artistic practice as a sculptor; however, she is most recognised for her oil on aluminium paintings which she renders in large format. There is a dichotomy present in her work which walks the line between observation and abstraction. Frequently employing photographs as the jumping off point for her compositions, Woods decontextualises her images, distancing the images from themselves, but leaving behind traces of the objects’ initial nature and function. Since 2011, Woods has begun to approach painting with a more figurative focus, and a preoccupation with the human form, whereas prior, she constructions involved vibrant, abstract landscapes, containing an anthropomorphic element. As Woods developed her practice, and her notions and uses of space, she has taken queues from her predecessors, namely Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, and Alberto Giacometti.