Claire Howard is a graduate of Villanova University and studied Art, Architecture, and Design at Mount Vernon College and University of Maryland. She is well known in the Washington D.C. area for her vivid local landscapes, tranquil seascapes, and beautiful snowfalls. Her unique painting style is always recognized. She has skillfully mastered the use of the palette knife in her oil paintings, and all her images, including her illustrious skies, are painted with one simple tool. When asked what inspires her work, she will quietly tell you that it is "the beauty we see." It is the beauty  surrounding us that gives our spirits peace, comfort, and calmness, and what moves her to capture those feelings and hold them on canvas. She is known for suddenly pulling her truck or bike to the side of the road to capture that special light or composition that she has learned will never look  that way again. The beautiful titles of her paintings describe her thoughts at that time, instantly transporting the viewer into her world.

 

Claire's work has been published in major periodicals and she is the grateful recipient of several awards including "Best in Show" and first place in an international competition for Impressionism. Her work is collected and commissioned internationally. She lives with her husband and visiting family on a small farm in the Maryland countryside where her creative imagination also captures the whimsical antics of her resident sheep and animals. She welcomes visitors and groups to her working Studio at the farm by appointment and for the Countryside Artisans Tour.

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