The primary theme I am exploring is that of human’s relation to the animal world, as it has been interpreted through myth, fairy tale and children’s literature. I am also interested in referencing Jung’s ideas of the Animal as an aspect of the self, and the Child as a figure of the preconscious self, not yet integrated into the human awareness. The work often uses a specific character, a single girl-child, who is shown in a series of interactions with animals, animal masks, or toy animal figures. The images may be seen as fragments of the child’s dreams, or fairy tales, wherein animals talk, play, weep, and kill. Animals may appear in the culture of childhood as wide-eyed cartoons and toys, but the creatures that inhabit these images, even in play, have both teeth and claw. The girl herself is neither hapless victim of her four-legged companions, nor the sweet-faced playmate that reassures us of nature’s goodness. Stylistically my use of bright, unmixed color with crisp detail has been influenced by my study of early book illustration especially fifteenth century books of hours. My intention is to present aspects of traditional pictorial illustration, as it may exist outside of the medium of an illustrated storybook. I have also been influenced by the painting of Edward Hopper, and Freda Kahlo, and the writing of Angela Carter, Ron Hansen and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

claireowen@verizon.net
www.claireowenturtleislandpress.com

EDUCATION

1966-71 Rochester Institute of Technology, BFA 1975-76 Rochester Inst. of Tech, MFA, Printmaking

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2007 A. I. R., NY, NY National Members exhibition
2005 Honoring the Book, American Artists from the first International Biennale for Artist Books
2004 Art of the Book, invitational exhibition of fine press books, Canadian Book Arts Guild 2003 “between leaf and sky we live”, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, Philadelphia, PA 2002 Art on the Page: A Selection of Artists Books, Art in City Hall, Phil., PA 2002 Challenge Exhibition 3 , Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia PA 2001 “Altered Egos” Borowsky Gallery Philadelphia, Pa ??2001 “Turtle Island Press” Chester County Art Association
2000 “The Art of the Book” Canadian Book Arts Guild traveling through provinces
1999 “Between shadowed walls, the forest tilts, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, Phil. PA 1998 “The Uncanny” Philadelphia Art Alliance, Phil. PA invitational painting exhibit, four person 1997 “through a window in the forest wall”, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art
1997-98 “Story Telling” Minnesota Center for the Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN ??1996 “Mysterious Worlds”, Center for the Book Arts, NY, NY
1995 “Turtle Island Press, Twenty Years”, Drexel University, Design Arts Gallery, Phil., PA

BIBLIOGRAPHY/ PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1981-present, proprietor of Turtle Island Press, specializing in limited edition artist books 1996-2000 President of Board of Directors, Nexus Foundation for Todays’ Art, Phila. PA 1992-97 Chair of Delaware Valley Guild of Bookworkers, local chapter of national guild

TEACHING

1989-present, professor, Drexel University, “Bookmaking”
1988- present, assist. Prof. Philadelphia University, foundation design Awards
2002 Awarded Independence Foundation Grant for use of digital imaging in bookworks
2002 Curator’s Award in Cheltenham Art Center Painting Exhibition,
2001 Awarded Challenge Exhibition at Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA
1991 Artists in Residence, Wales, UK. Travel grant awarded by the British American Arts Association
1987 Philadelphia-Tainjin Artist Travel Grant, City of Philadelphia Department of Art and Culture

COLLECTIONS (PARTIAL LISTING)

Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England National Gallery, Washington, DC Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY National Gallery, Washington, DC The Gutenberg Museum, Mainz, Germany The Library of Congress, Washington, DC Yale University, Sterling Library, Art of the Book Collection, New Haven CT ,Princeton University, Firestone Library, Princeton, NJ, Harvard University, The Fine Arts Library and The Houghton Library, The New York Public Library, Spencer Collection and Special Collections, NY, NY, Library of Congress, Washington DC., The Getty Research Center for the Arts and Humanities, Santa Monica, CA, Smith College Library Rare Book Room, Northampton, MA, Columbia University, Loew Library, NY, NY, Trinity College, Watkinson Library, Hartford, CT, Swarthmore College, McCabe Library, Swarthmore, PA , University of Delaware, Morris Library, Wilmington, DE Temple University, Paley Library, Phil. PA University of Delaware, Wilmington, DE