Claire Bentley-Smith

Biography

My commitment to life as an artist started in 2001, the year after I graduated from Ba Hons in Visual Communications from Leeds College of Art & Design. I have had a varied creative career ever since and am very thankful to have made a living from my arty endeavours.

Drawing and painting horses were my focus since childhood but following University this expanded into large scale mural paintings and shop window display, costume making and styling for photoshoots, 3d prop making and event dressing and, more recently, bodypainting and live art at events. I was invited to teach life-drawing for my old art school which I’ve now done for 6 years and have also tutored in art from my home as well as running a monthly informal drawing club in Leeds. My company is called Poshfruit Creative.

I was recently commissioned to make a huge replica of the Duke of Wellington Statue in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony where he was featured at the finale.
The diary of the make is here https://www.facebook.com/qdivision/posts/689238994477025