Claire A Milner - Art

After graduating, Claire Milner travelled extensively, spending a year in Australia and several months in both Africa and South America. These travels had a great impact as she witnessed firsthand the generosity of those who have the least in life. When Claire returned to the UK she was inspired to create ‘Mother and Child’ which was exhibited in Cambridge. During this time she was approached by the founder of CamFed, to create five similar artworks for the charity which helps fight poverty in Africa by educating and empowering girls.

Claire subsequently worked as a graphic designer and freelance illustrator in London and during this time she was commissioned by many large corporations and publishing companies. At the same time she began creating her own works, taking part in group exhibitions. Her interest in portraiture began when she was commissioned to illustrate portraits of Chancellors Gordon Brown and Nigel Lawson, which in turn led to commissions of politicians, central European bankers and company CEOs such as Sir Terry Leahy, Sir Martin Sorrell and Lord Browne. She also researched portraiture in mosaics dating back to the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras, and began creating her own mosaics in a contemporary Pop Art style despite being the result of a meticulous study of ancient techniques.

In 2009 Claire decided to concentrate solely on her career as a contemporary artist, utilising her previous experience as a designer and illustrator and especially her more recent studies of mosaic to create glittering works of art in Swarovski crystals as well as painting and mixed media works. Since this time she has gone on to create art for celebrity clients including Rihanna and the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Her 5ft x 5ft portrait of Marilyn Monroe is featured on the Official website of The Estate of Marilyn Monroe. Her Swarovski artwork has come to global attention with much international media coverage and her work is regularly published in books and magazines. Her artworks are held in private collections in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Trinidad, U.K. & the U.S.A. In April 2013 her work was chosen for two separate featured collections in Saatchi Online by Rebecca Wilson, director of the Saatchi Gallery London. Claire was recently featured alongside prestigious designers in the May 2013 issue of Swarovski Elements Magazine.

Claire currently works from her U.K. studio in North Yorkshire and her Italian studio in Rome and divides her time between exhibitions and working to commission for clients in the UK and abroad.