Galleries to feature student artist

Kendra Harvey, Managing Editor
May 1, 2015

Kendra Harvey
Video Editor

While most high school students’ summers involve family trips and internships, junior Clara Phipps will be exhibiting her artwork in galleries along the West Coast.
Phipps will be displaying her work in Live Edge Salon and Local Artistry in Oregon City, a salon which has space to display artwork ranging between jewelry, dreammakers, stationeries and wood work paintings.
“We look at artists who basically have a passion and obviously a talent,” Sydnie Bray, owner of Live Edge, said. “A lot of people I don’t think get to really get their name out there and have their stuff on display. It’s good for our younger generation of artists who are looking for a place.”
Phipps has created two out of 10 pieces so far, inspired by the nature from her trips to Lake Tahoe and Oregon, including one painting of the Northern Lights.
“I really want to focus on nature because this particular gallery has a lot of wood artistry in there already, and they are in Oregon,” Phipps said. “It is a very beautiful, green place.”
Working artist and family friend Alessandro Baccari has been an important art mentor, according to Phipps.
“He is always there to help me write my thesis for my art and is there to help inspire me,” Phipps said. “We went out to dinner one night last year, and we were talking about one of my paintings and how it is such an inviting painting, of love and devotion. It was very inspiring to hear someone talk about your artwork in a really positive way.”
Baccari, who works at the de Young museum, has an art show in Mexico and two returning photography exhibits from New Zealand and Shanghai, has experience that helps with many aspects of the artistic process and growth as an artist.
“If you look at her work, it is a joy,” Baccari said. “To see the diversity, the imagination, the concepts. There is a satisfaction that comes with art, being able to say ‘I did that.’ I am hoping, and praying, that this talent blossoms like a flower. I really  believe in her and her work.”
Phipps credits last year’s 20 Percent Project, a year-long assignment to make a product of choice, for encouraging her to reach out to more galleries. Phipps created a 1960s-inspired show interpreting how dyslexia has shaped her view of the world.
“The 20 Percent Project really gave me the time to really focus and spend the time to actually work on a big series,” Phipps said. “The feeling after I completed really gave me the confidence to get in touch with a couple other galleries and see if anyone was interested with working with me on a more professional level.”
The Sophomore Class displayed their projects in a culminating show.
“She made some beautiful pieces,” junior Julia Praeger said. “There was one piece that had angel fish swimming up to the top, and I had really wanted to buy it, along with five other people. It then became a bidding war. The fact that she already has people bidding on her work is amazing.”
Phipps says continuing art in the future is a priority.
“There is so much time that I have already put into it, and it’s something I love so much that I can’t give it up,” Phipps said.

While most high school students’ summers involve family trips and internships, junior Clara Phipps will be exhibiting her artwork in

Phipps creates all of her own paint by hand, using a mortar and pestle to crush pigments and mixing it with water.
Phipps creates all of her own paint by hand, using a mortar and pestle to crush pigments and mixing it with water.

galleries along the West Coast.

Phipps will be displaying her work in Live Edge Salon and Local Artistry in Oregon City, a salon which has space to display artwork ranging between jewelry, dreammakers, stationeries and wood work paintings.

“We look at artists who basically have a passion and obviously a talent,” Sydnie Bray, owner of Live Edge, said. “A lot of people I don’t think get to really get their name out there and have their stuff on display. It’s good for our younger generation of artists who are looking for a place.”

Phipps has created two out of 10 pieces so far, inspired by the nature from her trips to Lake Tahoe and Oregon, including one painting of the Northern Lights.

“I really want to focus on nature because this particular gallery has a lot of wood artistry in there already, and they are in Oregon,” Phipps said. “It is a very beautiful, green place.”

Working artist and family friend Alessandro Baccari has been an important art mentor, according to Phipps.

“He is always there to help me write my thesis for my art and is there to help inspire me,” Phipps said. “We went out to dinner one night last year, and we were talking about one of my paintings and how it is such an inviting painting, of love and devotion. It was very inspiring to hear someone talk about your artwork in a really positive way.”

Baccari, who works at the de Young museum, has an art show in Mexico and two returning photography exhibits from New Zealand and Shanghai, has experience that helps with many aspects of the artistic process and growth as an artist.

“If you look at her work, it is a joy,” Baccari said. “To see the diversity, the imagination, the concepts. There is a satisfaction that comes with art, being able to say ‘I did that.’ I am hoping, and praying, that this talent blossoms like a flower. I really  believe in her and her work.”

Phipps credits last year’s 20 Percent Project, a year-long assignment to make a product of choice, for encouraging her to reach out to more galleries. Phipps created a 1960s-inspired show interpreting how dyslexia has shaped her view of the world.

“The 20 Percent Project really gave me the time to really focus and spend the time to actually work on a big series,” Phipps said. “The feeling after I completed really gave me the confidence to get in touch with a couple other galleries and see if anyone was interested with working with me on a more professional level.”

The Sophomore Class displayed their projects in a culminating show.

“She made some beautiful pieces,” junior Julia Praeger said. “There was one piece that had angel fish swimming up to the top, and I had really wanted to buy it, along with five other people. It then became a bidding war. The fact that she already has people bidding on her work is amazing.”

Phipps says continuing art in the future is a priority.

“There is so much time that I have already put into it, and it’s something I love so much that I can’t give it up,” Phipps said.