Claire Juliette Burgoyne
Cobalt Blue Sculptures
Living in Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, I enjoy swimming in the Thames Estuary.
My sculptures are tactile. I aim to entice the viewer to want to touch them, as I enjoy the textures whilst I make them. Working with my hands is paramount to everything I create. Interested in materials, these lead the practice, with experimentation, thinking, and working through the making. The materials, their culture, relevant to the concept and important to the texture, shape, colour and movement with their presence. This is simultaneous to sketches and complementary pieces that happen at all stages of creating. I enjoy the squidgy feel of paper mâché as I make and that it dries to a crispness that I then want to cut or peel. I delight in the movement when threading and knotting the wool, like a dance of the hands. In painting, the surface texture and fluidity of the paint play an important part in my process.
Recently I have been creating a collection of blue sculptures, with the theme of the pains and moods of motherhood. Using blue paint, the traditional colour of the Madonna, dabbed repetitively over white paint for an intense, bright hue. The materials of the sculptures that create the pitted forms, and rutted and bumpy textures are visible, bearing vulnerability and ethereality. The subject matter conveys elements of physical and mental changes to the mother after pregnancy and birth in abstract figurative sculptures. I wanted to exaggerate the body changes the mother tolerates, ignores, and plays down, as her focus and unconditional love turn to the child. Parallel to the physical changes, the mind of the mother can be flooded with extreme emotions, from ecstatic happiness to sadness including ‘the blues’ and for some mothers, serious post-natal depression.
Inspiration is drawn from human connection and behaviours, personal experience, contemporary and historical art practices, and history. I am interested in life enrichment, sea swimming, and challenging political injustices, social issues and environmental concerns, with these themes appearing throughout my artwork.
I am an artist producing collections of sculptures, site-specific installations, mixed media pieces, prints and abstract paintings. Along with creating independently I also work on collaborative community projects.
I believe creating art is a way of thinking, exploring, learning, communicating and fun, that everyone should have access to.
Currently serving as a Higher Education Outreach Ambassador, I presently help foster Safe Spaces for secondary school children. A new initiative to assist students to excel academically. As one of the Artists in Residence at Leigh-On-Sea Community Centre, and a member of the art collective, Dorisarty, I organise and run, inclusive History of Art discussion evenings and creative workshops for all people of the community, honing my facilitation skills, and nurturing the participants’ creative potential.
C.V.
Email: claire.juliette.art@outlook.com
Insta: claire.juliette.burgoyne
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
‘Artists in Residence: Dorisarty’, Leigh-On-Sea Community Centre Art Wall, 4/3/24 – 12/4/24, Anne Pettenuzzo, Claire Burgoyne and Christine Hayhurst.
‘Site-Specific Fine Art, Year 2, 2024’, Beecroft Gallery and Southend Central Museum, Victoria Avenue, 6th February 2024, Maddi Crease, John Oxley, Courtney Norrington, Sarah Connolly, Claire Burgoyne, Billie Martin, Ellen Millington, Milly Curwood, Ciara Adams, Emily Gorham and Millie Docherty.
‘L’art au lavoir 2023 Feu’, Le Lavoir, Dun-Le-Palestel, France, July- August 2023, artistes internationaux.
‘Dorisarty and Guests’, Fishermen’s Chapel, New Road, Leigh-On-Sea, 1/7/23 – 6/7/23, Anne Pettenuzzo, Claire Burgoyne, Peter Ruddock, Dorota Bouali and Sarah Connolly.
‘New Artists in Residence Exhibition: Dorisarty and Judith Lyall’, Leigh-On-Sea Community Centre Art Wall, 3/4/23-12/5/23, Anne Pettenuzzo, Claire Burgoyne, Peter Ruddock and Judith Lyall.
‘Dorisarty Exhibition’, Leigh-On-Sea Community Centre Art Wall, 9/1/23 – 17/2/23, Emma Mills, Claire Burgoyne and Anne Pettenuzzo.
‘L’art au lavoir 2022 Terre’, Le Lavoir, Dun-Le-Palestel, France, July – August 2022, artistes internationaux.
‘Dorisarty’, Fishermen’s Chapel, New Road, Leigh-On-Sea, 4/6/22 – 11/6/22, Claire Burgoyne, Emma Mills and Anne Pettenuzzo.
‘L’art au lavoir 2021 L’eau’, Le Lavoir, Dun-Le-Palestel, France, August-September 2021, artistes internationaux.
‘Dorisarty, Pop Up’, Fishermen’s Chapel, New Road, Leigh-On-Sea, 19/4/21 – 1/5/21, Anne Pettenuzzo , Claire Burgoyne and Emma Mills.
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Higher Education Outreach Ambassador
University Centre South Essex, Elmer Square, Southend-On-Sea, SS1 1NE.
January 2024 – Present day.
ART EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
Art Discussion Evenings
I facilitate with Anne Pettenuzzo, an inclusive, community, History of Art Discussion Evening, monthly, at Leigh Community Centre as one of the Artists in Residence and a member of Dorisarty.
Workshops
I have facilitated community art workshops at Leigh Community Centre, as one of the Artists in Residence and a member of Dorisarty. These include: A Mosaic Project Design Workshop, Under Fives Elephant Art Fun (Lead by Anne Pettenuzzo), Elephant Drawing Activities, Artist in Residence Christmas Workshop, and Origami Workshops for an Ephemeral Art Installation.
Performance
I have written and performed poetry and spoken word, notably: Leigh Folk Festival, Peggy Sues in Leigh-On-Sea, The Essex Book Festival in The Railway Public House Southend, Twenty One Southend, and Electric Tea Set in Leigh-on-Sea.
EDUCATION
University Centre South Essex – 2022 – Present
I am currently studying for a BA Fine Art
South Essex College – 2021 – 2022
Access to Higher Education Diploma in Art and Design (Distinction)
Adult Education – 2008 – 2018
History of Art courses
Various IT skills
Southend Technical College – Essex – 1985 – 1986
CPVE (BTEC Level 3)
St Bernard’s Convent High School – 1980 -1985
O Levels and CSEs (including Maths, English, Art, Geography and Biology)