Hello, it’s me hi :)
I prefer making and sharing art that that is meaningful, personal or has a story.
Within sustainability I am thinking carefully about where I obtain my resources also, selecting photographic processes that are environmentally friendly. I love seeking information on all things disability and diversity to expand my own knowledge but also to improve my own work. someone needs to stand up for making photography accessible or adaptive you might say and that is I.
The colourings of my work are dark blue and natural based palettes yet the funny thing is i’m not really keen on dark blue.
My style is made heavily on texture it emphasises the audience to have permission to fell the work where most times they feel afraid to. contrasting colours are a factor as it helps us visually impaired folk to grasp what is visible.
Honestly composition is the last thing on my mind. the project itself or the materials work it out for themselves.
The rhythm of the hand embroidery process is therapeutic and yet doesn’t sound harsh to the ears.
The materials I use for my projects are heavily second hand based from ; charity shops, vented and scrap stores.
What makes my camera-less making special is way back when, the experience of nursery. From; foam to paint to stickers I tried all I could. it came to my attention in secondary school that photography can’t be experienced by everyone, why is this a thing ?
Any art should be adaptive to its audience, period. I find my way around the world with my hands and feet. My interpretation will not be the same as your which is fab.
Artist statement
Claire-louise is an eco-conscious alternative photographer whose work explores issues to do with health, wellbeing, disability and discrimination, in a forthright and compassionate way. Through the unique practice of camera-less photography, which includes scannography, photogram’s, cyanotypes, chemigram’s, anthotype’s and chlorophyll printing, to create a sense of pronounced feeling for both the artist and audience. Her work studies colour, texture, and incorporates science and art to create images that are both moving and impactful.
With all of this in mind the artist is avoiding purchasing brand new materials for project’s therefore second hand obtained by; scrap stores, charity shops or Vinted. It keeps the costs down as an artist but also allows you to gather only what you need. Adding more waste to what we have already accumulated in this creative industry is not needed.
Pitman sees to educate people on inclusivity as she herself has three disabilities. Throughout her practice the aims are to be accessibility aware but the most important goal is trying to make sure no one is left out. Why should individuals be singled out because photography is primarily visual based ? This can be executed by using audio content, tangibility and colour contrast to name a few areas that creatives can use. Furthermore she plans to use braille labels more often on these works.
In her concepts Claire-louise has turned to personal identity as one of the ways to teach, not only on self reflection but, more importantly others. Being severely visually impaired is about creating pronounced texture for visual stimulation for the brain. Through her research on visual impairment, mental health and Anosmia Claire-louise expands her knowledge but still faces barriers along the way.
Biography
Claire-louise Pitman was born in Somerset where she had her first major operation at just a few months old. As a child she enjoyed forest school and participated in camping. Now she is closer to nature because of it.
There she studied a few fine art courses for 4 years which led her to being a photography graduate at The university of Plymouth. Most recently, she has graduated from Arts University of Plymouth in photography.
Her one of a kind pieces have been in group exhibited such as: Somerset, Plymouth, Romania and New York.