Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War Peter Clare moved with his family to Sheffield. There at the age of seven he decided that he would be an artist and while the better part of his working life was taken up with teaching mathematics, a subject that he has always enjoyed and which, with his interest in geometry, has influenced his ideas of composition, he has always regarded art as his first love and proper calling. Teaching children and adults from the widest range of economic and ethnic background in schools and colleges and living and working in big cities, small towns up and down the UK and finally settling in the rural area of Shropshire in the Welsh Marches has provided the artist with a rich variety of inspiration.

His work is rooted in his experience of his humanity and he seeks in his art to explore the heights and depths of what it is to be truly human. His subject matter is consequently wide and he tends to classify and exhibit his work in broad thematic groups. Principal among these are the Cana Cycle - concerned with marriage; the War Cycle - this springs from the artist’s commitment to pacifism and a compassionate concern for the victims of human violence; the Earth Mother, Green Man and Celebration of Life cycles (collected now under the umbrella title of 'Green') - these interconnected themes spring from a deep, continuing and, above all, passionate love of the natural world in God’s creation, ancient myth and the inevitable exploration of the profound yet disturbing mystery which reveals itself there. Then there are the overtly Christian themes and subjects including his celebrated 'The Journey' cycle. Currently the artist is working on, what will probably be regarded as his magnum opus, the St. Matthew cycle which visually explores the themes of Incarnation, Kingdom of Heaven, cosmic covenant and vocation to be found in the Gospel of St. Matthew. Enthusiastic paintings of flowers and, more significantly, vegetables contribute an important subgroup of his work. Portraits, life studies and some landscapes complete the range of subjects to be found in his studio.

Peter Clare has long developed a taste for telling stories visually in a way that deconstructs time and cross relates events, enabling a more profound exploration of myth and legend. Such an approach is an important element in much of his work and contributes greatly to the vitality and richness of his compositions.

While painting, usually in acrylic on canvas, is Clare’s main medium of expression he has an enthusiasm for the Woodcut and has an established reputation in this field. His limited edition book of woodcuts of ‘The Stations of the Cross’, published by Redlake Press has received critical acclaim.

It needs to be said that though Peter Clare has a deep commitment to his art being accessible to the man in the street - he has little patience with those who would make Art a self selecting elitist enclave - he finds much in the contemporary art scene challenging and enriching and his work has its own idiosyncratic approach to composition, perspective, realism and anatomy

Critical Response - What the Press and Others have said about the work of Peter Clare

Of his first One Man Show: 'There are paintings with strong religious content, several aspects of death both dignified and degrading, primitiveness, nudity and domesticity. If one had to say which was the most predominating feeling, the answer would be compassion.......he is a painter whose work one will not easily forget.' Birmingham Post

Of the 'Cana Cycle': 'At first glance, his very simple rotund draughtsmanship with its full ovals, curves and rare straight line, can seem childlike, even obvious. But it grows organically from the heart and, with time, conveys a warm satisfaction and peace...... Peter Clare's passion and belief, together with his unselfconscious and honest expression, comes as unexpected today as it is welcome.' The Guardian. Peter C'Clare's cloisonné, earth power nudes made a great impact at 'Northern Image' last year among circumspect art college produce. They were so different and powerfully symbolic; the deep, Rouault-like glazes exaggerated the sensuality of the male-female images and the works looked important. In the 'Cana Cycle' he showed a new and exciting set of nine marriage paintings...' Arts Review. 'His couples fill the pictures, and are painted in vibrant layers of colours with thick dark outlines, which makes a vigorous design.... Inspired by his own experience of marriage, these paintings convey a feeling of tenderness that is not sentimental.' Arts Review.

Of 'The Journey': 'The link drawn by the evangelists between journeying and suffering is evidently important to Clare, and the emotional range of his work witnesses to a costly spiritual struggle. But though he acknowledges a debt to Jung - the images of the earth mother and the snake bulk large in his imaginings - Clare's account of the reconciliation available at the far side of experience is also biblical. Good springs from bad, and as Clare's Stations end with the resurrection, one of the last paintings in the sequence, 'Christ in the Garden of my Soul, unites a serpent, an apple tree and a naked man with the risen Jesus.' Church Times.

'I can relate to the inner thoughts and meanings of his paintings', 'Powerful and beautiful images of life - spiritual', 'Beautiful colours and very powerful', 'Truly inspirational - thank you!', Speaks to me - echoes my thoughts and inner voices. Awesome, terrible but real', 'Stunning and wonderful - we are blessed to have an artist such as Mr Clare', I'd like these paintings to surround my life', 'Very thought provoking', 'Very moving - embracing all life with love', 'Brilliant and individual style', 'Peter Clare put into pictures what C S Lewis put into words', 'Third visit, keep returning' and 'Full of myth and inner searchings towards mental and spiritual wholeness - it is good to see an artist pursuing on such a path!' Typical Comments from the hundreds in the Visitors Books.

Of his limited edition book of woodcuts 'Stations of the Cross': ' For several years now, Ursula Freeman (Redlake Press) has been one of the Society's top printers and publishers. Her work is varied but always admirable in both design and production, and 'The Stations of the Cross', her most recent book, is very impressive indeed. In a foreword Grace Sheppard explains how, after the considerable interest aroused by a touring exhibition of 'The Journey',...the artist Peter Clare has complemented this with the fifteen single-colour woodcuts, the sequence of Christ's journey to the cross, printed here. They have a directness, a stimulus to thought and emotion, with considerable impact. To them Ursula has done full justice...' Small Printer

His Studio

In November 1995 Peter Clare moved into his new studio in the picturesque village of Brampton Bryan on the Herefordshire/Shropshire border in the beautiful and peaceful valley of the Teme. A converted barn at the edge of the village, the studio, at long last, provides the artist with the space that he so desperately needs for larger works and the new major cycle of 'The Gospel according to St. Matthew' which is now well on its way.

The building contains a small gallery where visitors may view recent work.

Would be visitors are advised to contact the artist at his home in nearby Bucknell (phone: 01547 530 842) first to obtain directions and ensure the artist is there when they arrive.

There is a café and B & B in the village. B & B, Hotels and restaurants can be found in the nearby villages and towns of Leintwardine, Bucknell, Knighton, Presteigne and, of course, Ludlow.