THE ARTIST

Claire Nelson is a British Sculptor originally from Sussex, now settled in Surrey with her Italian husband after thirty years of living abroad.

As a child, she grew up in Brighton and every summer would, swim and collect driftwood on the beach, a lifelong habit that inspired the Wood Cast Collection.

She learned about sculpture alongside her mother, Helen Collis, professional figurative sculptor and one of the Fiveways Open Studios founders in Brighton. Claire sculpted throughout her childhood and adolescence giving way later to the study of languages in which she excelled. She is trilingual English, French and Italian. After rich and varied career in France, UK, Italy and the Caribbean, she returned “home” to sculpting while in Paris in her early thirties and never looked back.

Between 2004 and 2005, in order to deepen her understanding of modern sculpting practices, she attended several courses on modelling, mould making and casting at the School of Sculpture, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London.

Becoming a member of the Surrey Sculpture Society on her return to the UK was also transformative; it opened up so many opportunities, not least of all the chance to show in many prestigious venues alongside talented sculptors. Finally connecting with a vibrant, dynamic group of likeminded artists was decisive in consolidating her identity as a sculptor. Serving on the committee enabled her to “give back” after receiving so much. The final cornerstone for her artistic practice was of course her custom-built studio created by her husband at their home in Surrey.

Her international career spans two and half decades and includes exhibitions throughout the UK, Italy, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland and China, as well as in galleries in Paris and Rome. Her work is in private collections in UK, France, Italy, US, China and Australia.