Claire Bentley-Smith

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Claire Bentley-Smith

I’ve been a commercial artist for 20 years, painting murals, theatrical scenic and shop windows. I also love painting animals, especially horses, and portraits in oils and acrylics and am happy to take commissions for these.

Compelled to draw from the moment I found a pencil, the relentless pursuit of my art has consumed me ever since. Misunderstood as a quiet child I was simply engrossed as I furiously practiced and experimented to fulfill that inexplicable drive that creatives experience.

As my Father was posted abroad I was extremely fortunate to spend my childhood growing up in South East Asia giving me the opportunity to experience many different cultures as I spent time both there and Australia, Africa and Europe too. In between these exotic adventures I flew back to England where I attended boarding schools in Kent and Buckinghamshire, spending shorter holidays being raised by my Granny in London.

Having been an enthusiastic horse-rider throughout my childhood, in my teens I worked weekends and holidays as a stable girl in racing and polo yards giving me the chance to observe those worlds and develop my equestrian painting which remains my most beloved subject.

As a teenager my interest in fashion developed and as I grew up it become a favorite drawing theme too, combining life drawing, garment design and working very swiftly to develop a fluid ink style of my own. Through this and as my practice for drawing people improved I have studied portraiture and practiced my ability to capture a person’s character and likeness in paint. I am interested in the art of Chinese facial-reading and aura photography and look forward to combining ideas and developing my portrait painting further in future as I only consider myself a fledgling in this part of my practice.

Following school I moved to Yorkshire and partied my way through a Fashion Design HND then managed to scrape a BA (honors) degree in Visual Communications from Leeds College of Art. I realized I needed to support myself so following an un-inspirational attempt at office employment I realized I should take the opportunity to adapt my creative strengths to encompass a wider variety of artistic activities. Soon after this I registered for self-employment as Poshfruit Creative and have had the pleasure of working on a plethora of amazing projects using my creativity in a multitude of ways ever since.

From photographing racehorses to hand sewing nightclub costumes, teetering on prop ladders, drawing children, illustrating magazines, painting shop windows and large-scale murals, body-painting circus performers and teaching life-drawing at Leeds College of Art, to name but a few, I’m grateful to have become a creative chameleon and revel in a career that I love.

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"Creativity takes courage ~ Henri Matisse"
Connection to Yorkshire

Claire Bentley-Smith's art

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acrylic-painting
dogs
pet-portrait
equestrian-art
painting
portrait
postcards
wildlife
ink-drawing
Best Friend
Original SOLD

Best Friend

Status: Sold
Prints: Not available
Beloved Pony
Original SOLD

Beloved Pony

Status: Sold
Prints: Not available
Alexandra
Original SOLD

Alexandra

Status: Sold
Prints: Not available

Famous 5 Postcard Pack

Status: Unavailable
Prints: Available as cards

The Charger

Status: Unavailable
Prints: Available as prints
Bit on the Side
Original SOLD

Bit on the Side

Status: Sold
Prints: Not available
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Interview

Profile Image
"Creativity takes courage ~ Henri Matisse"
Connection to Yorkshire

Claire Bentley-Smith's art

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    Profile Image
    "Creativity takes courage ~ Henri Matisse"
    Connection to Yorkshire

    Past Exhibitions

    Unmanaged Reproach

    Profile Image
    "Creativity takes courage ~ Henri Matisse"
    Connection to Yorkshire