FOLKVANGR by Clair Napier-McDonald
As part of our Spring Collection we spoke to Stained Glass Artist Clair Napier-McDonald about the inspiration behind her artwork. Clair joined North East Art Collective at an unpredictable time. With Clair’s first delivery of artwork arriving just 3 days before the first lockdown went into place. Once we re-opened in June of 2020 Clair’s artwork settled into its new display. And as you returned to visiting us you started to notice and love the way her stained glass picked up the sunlight in the gallery.
Here Clair Napier-McDonald tells us all about the inspiration behind her artwork:
My work with stained glass was initially sparked by an awareness of the properties of coloured light. I became aware of these properties whilst I trained to become a therapist. Where I used colour and coloured light for healing. I had always been artistic and creative and had tried many different modalities but having no formal training, I had to spend a considerable time experimenting and finding my way. Until I eventually came to the point at which you see my work now.
Folkvangr
Following a theme of nature and folk art I named my business Folkvangr, after the mystical meadow of the goddess Freya in Norse mythology. Freya is known as the goddess of fertility and abundance. You will find her influence in my style as it is leafy, full of berries, Bluebirds and little blue butterflies. Blue is a predominant colour in my work, because it is the colour of calmness, thoughtfulness, communication and truth, qualities I would like to encourage. The Bluebird is a symbolise of hope which is an emotion that I want to help spread.
Free Standing Artwork
Also, whenever I include woodwork with my freestanding pieces I like to hand carve them. I add either a folk-art motif or with knotwork which is another favourite art style I like. Sometimes it feels good to have a little break from the glass and get carving. The wood is so different from the fragile glass. It has such a warm, earthy feel about it which contrasts to the cold glass and metal. The knotwork and folk-art design represent the weaving of storylines and myth. The hearts are a reminder of love, usually at the centre of a piece, representing the love we should always keep centred on and something that gets forgotten all too often.
Artwork Details
One smaller detail which you may (or may not) notice is I always try to add a little aspect of quirkiness and avoid exact repetition. A little leaf in a totally different colour, a slightly larger flower on one side, just to represent the fact that none of us are perfect. Each of us have our idiosyncrasies and large or small, they are all important.
My work is somewhat seasonal too, so in the Autumn I produce a limited number of pieces with the warmer tones. I add reminiscent colours of turning leaves, open fires and honey mead. Then with the onset of winter these colours make way for the wintery hues of forest greens, berry reds and robins. Like my use of Bluebirds in the summer, I like to add Robins as they symbolise new beginnings. It is during the winter that the ideas and secrets of the Earth are formed before they manifest in the spring.
See our Full Spring Collection Here
See all artwork by Clair Napier-McDonald Here
