Claire Welch

Claire Welch is an emerging artist working with themes of tension and anxiety in the body. Welch completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the National Art School, majoring in printmaking. They have been involved in group shows with Stanley Street Gallery, such as Is it Black and White… in 2021 and Soupçon in 2022. Other selected group exhibitions include, Rats at 321 Project Space and Luxury Item at DownUnder space. Welch has received the Jocelyn Maughan Sketchbook prize in 2019 and the Bouddi Foundation of the Arts grant in 2016 and 2021 respectively.

#23 | Curled Lump, 2019, monoprint on paper, 15cm x 12cm, NFS.

This print was from a ‘Lump’ series from 2019 when I was in my last year of printmaking. It didn’t quite make the cut as the ink didn’t apply evenly, leaving a gradient effect I wasn’t fond of. I also was annoyed by the straight edge on one side, rather than all four edges being deckled. It’s from a pile of similar lumps that haven’t made it, misprinted in some way from fatigue or carelessness. I’ve kept it in hopes of trying the image again, but I think it’s time to let this lump go.