About the New Forest Artist Claire Kitcher

Since early childhood, I have loved capturing the likeness of animals. Horses and ponies are my driving passion. Supported by great parents with encouragement and materials I would spend hours and hours sketching and painting.

I was really lucky to have an artistic family! My dad is an award-winning and successful woodcarver, my mum and her sister both paint. To have the encouragement and grow up surrounded by artistic influences was a great advantage, with the house full of carvings and paintings, it was just a natural thing to do. My cousin, Tracy McCoey is also an artist in Northern Ireland. She also regularly exhibits her etchings, screen printing and lithography.

One day it was pointed out to me, that I was really capturing the personality and character of the animals through their eyes. This eventually led to pet portraiture commissions, branching out into commercial work and some very interesting projects.

I love to draw and paint with all mediums, changing style with each to suit the nature of the subject and the particular medium. Sometimes I want to just create a quick pencil sketch to capture the moment. Other times it’s a time consuming, long drawn out (excuse the pun) process, in oils, where I can change my mind, wipe over large areas and start again. Sometimes my pencil drawings are super detailed and then my watercolours can be light and loose. It’s an ever-exciting challenge, and I’m always trying to keep myself experimenting. Sometimes it works, many times it doesn’t, but that’s where the great satisfaction comes from when it does.

We are very lucky to live in the beautiful New Forest in southern England. I have spent my life riding and walking here, and it is my greatest inspiration. From its wonderful views and its wildlife, the commoning community, to a tiny insect, flower, or footprint. We have been active commoners on the Forest, breeding the beautiful New Forest ponies and regularly riding and walking out into the Forest to check on them.

I am very grateful to have always been supported by my wonderful husband. We are blessed with a beautiful daughter, a great son-in-law and their amazing, life-changing and enriching, twin boys.

Animals have been a major part of our lives. The riding horses and ponies, our dogs, chickens, ducks, pet rabbits and mice. Plus of course, the various wild waifs and strays that have been repaired and released along the way. Many have found themselves as subjects on various projects, being it in one of the commercial products being seen and sold worldwide or featuring in one of the local art exhibitions held around the Forest.

We have a purpose-built studio in our back garden and fully equipped framing workshop. We no longer offer a framing service but is great to be able to mount and frame my own work. Audiobooks keep me company and when I look at past pictures, I can hear the story I was listening to at the time. I always find that quite amazing.

I have also enjoyed doing art demonstrations for groups, holding art lessons and have been honoured to be asked to judge local exhibitions and horse shows!

Along with my original traditional artwork, I am also enjoying digital art. I am continuing to work in pencil, watercolour, oils and pastels, but also adding through the digital medium, some fun quirky ideas that I hope bring a smile to your face, and I hope you will like enough to want to share with your friends and family. Mixing traditional and digital mediums is opening up many new possibilities which I am enjoying experimenting with.

In the past we have produced and framed our own prints which were sold online and through the New Forest In the past, we have produced and framed my prints which were sold online and through the New Forest Museum. This was very time consuming, so I have now decided to leave this to an established company. RedBubble have worldwide facilities including here in the UK, enabling us to offer a large range of products, as well as supplying traditional wall art. A high-resolution scan is taken directly from the original artwork to ensure you receive the best possible quality images.

Most of my originals will be sold locally through exhibitions. But if you are interested in a particular piece, then please feel free to contact me directly. Please note that after offering pet portraits for many years I am no longer offering this service. I’m very busy currently working on children’s book illustrations and my own pictures for exhibition/prints.

Well, I really hope you enjoy my artwork. I would love to hear what you think, so would appreciate your feedback.
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CKitcherArt to keep up with the latest updates.

A huge thank you for your time and interest.

Claire.