Clare Reilly

Clare Reilly’s work has been described as Neo-Romantic. Her paintings are imbued with a poetic stillness and calm.

Born and educated in Wellington, she has lived and worked in Christchurch since 1976 and is now a full-time artist. Her career spans more than three decades of painting and exhibiting throughout New Zealand, with many works going overseas.

Her paintings celebrate survival and resilience within the natural environment. Over time she has developed a painting style that has an intensity and luminosity of colour that embraces a dream-like atmosphere. She has a close affinity with birds in the landscape, with the bird motif signifying a sense of joy in flight, and hope and renewal.

In recent years, Clare has been involved with the Tui Restoration Project and the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust. She continues to support various conservation projects and wildlife sanctuaries through the sale of her cards.

Her work has recently been used on three book covers, and is featured on the covers of Craig Potton’s Contemporary Landscape In New Zealand Art calendar for 2012 and 2013.