Clare Dubina
Melbourne-based artist Clare Dubina creates warm, earthy paintings and ceramics, which are an ode to the female form – celebrating its form as a work of art in its own right.
Words: Holly Terry
Artwork by Clare Dubina in the home of Josh and Jenna Densten. Photo: Eve Wilson for The Design Files
Clare Dubina in her Melbourne studio. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Dubina
Clare Dubina has spent her career moving around the creative scene. From fashion photography to creating retail displays across the globe, she has since created a name for herself with her large abstract works and ceramics, well-known for their warm earthy tones and subtle simplicity.
The way Clare humbly describes her practice would certainly not give way to the fact that she has released numerous large series, which have sold out before they even hit the gallery walls. Enviably, she has also collaborated with iconic Aussie brands such as Viktoria & Woods and En Gold. Her works are recognised for beautifully large, voluptuous shapes bathed in soothing neutrals, which naturally hold their own.
Inspired by the silhouettes, gestures and negative space of the female form, the artist creates with a forward trajectory: each series inspires the next to form a group narrative. Originally honing a more obvious figurative style, Clare has naturally progressed toward drawing a more intense focus on specific bodily elements; such as the line of a bent knee or a rounded spine.
‘I came to really appreciate the [human form] as a work of art in its own right. Bathed in the right light it can become a landscape, skin folds up close can appear as part of a flower and the slightest movement of an arm can convey so many different emotions. At the end of the day, the shape of the body is relatively simple, but it's the complex variations it's capable of that keeps me going back for more,’ says Clare.
‘Working with clay challenges me to relax and make intuitively, which is the total opposite of how I approach painting. I really value being able to have this other medium to work with and use as a tool to translate my ideas in a different way or incite new directions,’ says Clare Dubina. Photo: Anita Beaney
‘The muted tones can be a subtle statement and [are] not competitive, which is probably where my personality sneaks into my work,’ says Clare Dubina. Photo: Anita Beaney
“I’ve taken a few steps out of my comfort zone, and not all of them were successful, but knowing I am capable of doing that now and not running back to hide is a huge success for me.”
Clare Dubina’s earthy palette sits perfectly in a neutral and warm space. Photo: Courtesy of Brooke Saward
‘I decided to pick up my sketch books from uni and continue exploring that genre. I had so many ideas during that time when my mind wasn’t influenced by social media, and I was scribbling my thoughts down without any filter or concern for livelihood,’ says Clare Dubina. Photo: Anita Beaney
‘It's safe to say [my earthy palette] stems from my love of nature and being outdoors… the importance of not wanting to create work that I wouldn’t have in my own house probably guides [me too],’ says Clare Dubina. Photo: Anita Beaney
Artwork detail by Clare Dubina. Photo: Anita Beaney
Clare’s practice seems to softly float between intuitive making to more studied, planned artworks. Although the process differs, when complete, they undeniably partner one another. Her ceramics mirror this organic notion, characteristic of their voluptuous curves and natural textures which meet subtle palettes; a nod to the artist’s love of nature and the outdoors.
‘The muted tones can be a subtle statement and [are] not competitive, which is probably where my personality sneaks into my work.’
When asked what she is most proud of, almost poetically, Clare explains, ‘I’m most proud of the courage that the love of doing my work brings me, no matter how slow growing it may be. I've taken a few steps out of my comfort zone, and not all of them were successful, but knowing I am capable of doing that now and not running back to hide is a huge success for me. The validation from others plays a key role in building confidence, but the work that needs to be done within can be an incredibly hard journey.’
To come, Clare is working on a number of collaborations with local brands as well as an upcoming print release (eeek, mark it in your calendars!) which will hopefully be released mid-year.
