Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Dunn.
Hi Claire, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am an artist, a psychologist, art therapist and a curator. Growing up in Argentina, I was always involved in creative projects and loved studying the relationships between the human mind and the arts. I am a traveler too, which originated in my nomadic lifestyle from an early age. I spent many years on the road traveling alone, camping in nature, and also living in different cities. Inserting your body for certain periods of time in a place, I believe that it allows you to add a new lens to see and feel the world around you, a more profound way of looking at the surroundings and finding where you stand in this world. Traveling can change you in many ways; culturally, politically, economically, linguistically, among others. You may break patterns of thinking that were gained in the place of origin.
During the last five years, I’ve been following my intuition regarding following signs that might be seen as random but feels right and marks the next step or direction. Spontaneity has brought me to having quite interesting conversations. For me, nothing is random. I wander and expose myself to “randomness,” but I am certain that everything is there to show you something. Something for us to learn. To go on an inner journey as while you open your eyes to the world around you. I want to connect with experiential knowledge.
During the pandemic, I decided I wanted to learn new art techniques and get exposed to another adventure, so I embarked on what ended up being an MFA in the US. I wanted to practice my English, too. At the moment, I am graduating from my MFA in Northern California.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being an immigrant in the United States can be challenging in many ways. The rhythm here is way faster, and it was hard to make a living being on a visa with so many restrictions. It was harder to find a sense of balance and stillness while I was running around with three jobs (and the MFA).
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I see my practice as empirical research. I am interested in the human connection with nature and the divine, with our essence. We are not on Earth, we are the Earth. We are like cells of a living being. At some point we were disconnected from ourselves, and from our environment. My intention is to assist to enable that connection again. Meditation and visualization are powerful tools and important aspects of my process as going to nature can become an unaffordable luxury when living in a city. In my art practice, I begin by grounding my body to my location, focusing on the unique qualities of each place– the climate, soil, plants and people, all of which bring about changes within me and bring new insights. I make art that forms part of a dialogue between sky and ground: a constellation of different materials and media, ranging from handmade sculptures and paintings to experimental photography, installation and invented tools. I think about the relationship between the human psyche and the metaphors of the natural world through multidisciplinary art.
My work celebrates the ceremony of gravity. In this ceremony, I co-create with nature’s code by bringing things together in a particular way. I explore visual and conceptual possibilities through the multiple lenses of psychology, mythology and storytelling. The final work is a result of a raw, experimental and expressive performance. I allow my skin to have a song.
As an art therapist, I enjoy working with people of all ages. Artistic expression is a vehicle to connect with our essence. It helps us understand and can help us connect with higher frequencies to process and create our world differently. I believe that what is creative is frequently therapeutic. What is therapeutic is frequently a creative process, and creativity is freedom. I believe that the more we know ourselves, the more we respect ourselves, and thus the more we respect and care about others and our environment.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Before arriving to the US, in the past years I did a series of adventures by myself, with only a backpack and a tent, following signs and intuition. I explored many countries, mountains, woods, deserts, rivers, and much more. I’ve been following my path without a plan, following signs, getting to know myself on a very, very deep level. There was a lot of risk-taking involved. If I hadn’t done all of that, my career wouldn’t be where it is today. When I applied to the MFA, I only applied to one school, which was in the US. Being in the present moment is the right place for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clairedunn.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairedunn____/
Image Credits
My Portrait photo was taken by Charles Lee.
