Hannah Clare - Illustration

Here's a sweet little interview from Hannah Clare. Her collaged cards and prints are available in store. Oh sweet nostalgia...

-when did you start making things?

Since I was a wee babby! My Mum is an artist so she was always getting me and my brothers making a mess with paint and glue, when we were little. But I think I was about 13 when I really realised art is what I do best, and I’m pretty rubbish at everything else!

-how did you find out about Handmade?

Through my good friend Angela Chick, who is one of the Co-founders of the shop.

-what do you find is the most inspiring thing in your life? (person, place, object, etc)

A lot of my work is fuelled by just wishing I was still six years old and running around in the garden collecting snail shells and putting them in my dungarees pockets. So I often get inspired by things that I find nostalgic. I think it’s trying to recreate that feeling of curiosity and discovery you have when you’re young. I also take inspiration from poetry and literature. I love wordplay and really visual, descriptive writing.

-what is the song you just can't get out of your head right now

The Art Teacher by Rufus Wainwright... fitting!
I took my boyfriend for his birthday to see him play at the Royal Opera House last week, so the whole experience is still singing in my head! He has such an incredible singing voice. Also been loving Unknown Mortal Orchestra, they’re my new favourite band.

-do you prefer to work alone or with others? Why?

I think I do my best personal work when I shut myself away and immerse myself. I’m quite a private person so I guess that’s when I’m most relaxed to create. Illustration can be a lonely business. But at the same time, I’ve always been really interested in collectives and collaborative projects. I love the way you have to discard your usual way of working and embrace the spontaneity of working with other people. It’s a kind of tonic from being autonomous and I think it’s a good way to learn about yourself and push your ways of working.

-what was the best meal you've eaten in the last week?

I’m a bit obsessed with bruschetta at the moment... some tasty crusty bread toasted with olive oil and garlic. With chopped fresh tomatoes and cucumber with more olive oil lemon juice and fresh herbs, salt and pepper! Yum!

-what do you like to do in your spare time?

Photography and Writing are my other lovers, but with writing it can be hard to get into the right headspace sometimes. I’d like to spend more time on creative writing and poetry.
Other than that, I like romps in the woods, kneading bread, walking with one foot off the curb, arranging the pebbles on the beach into colours, cutting off split ends, eggs for breakfast, shadow hunting, flipping through records, snooping in old book shops, word wheels, pressing flowers into whatever book I’m reading, toe tapping, camera snapping, cat napping and tea sipping.

-is there a favourite piece of your work you would like to share?

Often it’s the things I’ve made really quickly and spontaneously that I get most excited about. At the moment my ‘all my rabbits’ images is one of those. You know when you’re a kid, sometimes the first and simplest way you learn about life and love and death, is through your pets... that’s what this is about.

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www.hannahclare.co.uk

www.hannahalexandraclare.blogspot.com