6 Watercolor artist | AUGUST 2019
Happenings
standwhya businessman in
KansasCitymaynot choose to
hanganoctopuson his offi ce
wall,”saysClause, “but some-
timesyouhaveto get to know
someone before you can
appreciate them. An octopus has
three hearts, nine brains and can
grow to be more than 20 feet in diam-
eter. If none of that resonates still,
I hope that my work carries a kind of
ethereal peace and sense of wonder,
in color palette and style, that reaches
the viewer in an emotional way that
science and knowledge may not.”In 2017, Clause
quit her teachingjob
to become a full-time
artist. “My colorpal-
ette is often inspired
by the ocean and what
comprises the shore,” she says.
“Similarly, the subjects of my paint-
ings are often waves or creatures that
make the ocean their home.”
Her marine paintings are unusual
in that she often places her subjects
on their own, unencumbered by an
environment. Th e placement makes
them seem almost regal. “I can under-Kelly Clause (artbykel.com) is
addicted to water in more ways than
one. She’s a surfer—born and raised
in Santa Barbara, Calif.—and she’s a
watercolor artist, having been intro-
duced to the medium after she was
gifted a set of watercolors from her
great-grandmother. “After a bit of
experimentation, watercolor quickly
became my favorite medium,” she
says. “It was quick, decisive, daring
and unpredictable—all qualities
I admire. It’s no wonder I connected
with it on multiple levels: Water is
the element that gives it life.”/ MAKING A SPLASH /
Kelly Clause
Kelly Clause in her
studio. Her painting,
Humpback King
(watercolor on
paper, 26x40),
is at left.