Micheala Clair

Could you tell us a bit more about your artistic journey—how did you start creating art and what inspired you to become an artist?

I’ve enjoyed creating since early childhood, and visual art is something I’ve been drawn to as far back as my memory serves. From sketching at my desk during elementary school, to painting at kitchen tables with friends – art was something I spent a lot time indulging in during my younger years. As I’ve gotten older it’s remained a constant driving force in my life, a motivator in good times and a crutch during life’s tribulations. No matter how much time passes or where I find myself, creation in its various forms is always something I return to.

You work in a variety of mediums and cover diverse topics. What attracts you to experimenting with different materials and styles?

I typically start with an idea for a new piece, and then choose a medium that will lend itself to that vision. Once I can picture an image in my mindseye, it usually becomes obvious which materials and styles will work best for the project. I have always found covering different topics ranging from life drawing to comics style inking to be interesting subject matter, and being able to leverage various mediums is one the things I enjoy most about art.

Micheala Clair | Paper Planes | 2024

The painting Good Days radiates warmth and introspection, while Medusa explores myth and tension. How do you choose the emotions or narratives you want to express in each work?

It’s often a combination of internal and external experiences. Usually my ideas stem from either personal experiences or something I’ve witnessed. A lot of my projects start as “spur of the moment” concepts and evolve over time. Sometimes this means I am working on many projects at once, or none for an extended period of time.

What role do symbolism and mythology play in your art?

Symbolism and mythological figures to me are a way to convey abstract thoughts and complex emotions through a single image. It stems from the notion that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and also provides the opportunity for individual viewers to take away something different from the same piece. I like to leave things open to interpretation.

How do your Canadian roots and surroundings influence your creative vision?

My surroundings are one of the primary influences in most of the artwork I do, so living in Canada provides unique experiences and outputs through the diversity of our landscapes and people that I get to meet. Whether through consuming Canadian media via music and visual arts, or taking in the beautiful scenery we are so lucky to have – it all subconsciously feeds into the work I do. For example, the colour palette chosen in “Good Days” was heavily influenced by the fall leaves from the forest near my home.

Micheala Clair | Medusa | 2025

Can you share a moment or project that significantly shaped your artistic identity?

A timeframe that stands out for me would be around my late teens to early 20’s. At that time I hadn’t really shown my work to any sort of audience outside of friends and family. However, I was lucky enough to be introduced to an artist and organizer of a local art collective who not only participated at local art shows but also supported various charitable events through their art.

I went on to join this group and volunteer at a lot of these events myself, including art auctions for charity as well as drawing for live audiences to gather donations, as a way of giving back to the community. These types of events were a key focus of what this collective represented, and instilled in me the importance of using creativity as a positive force in my community.

Micheala Clair | Good Days | 2021

What do you hope viewers feel or think when they encounter your art?

I typically don’t set out to try and invoke a particular thought or feeling. My only hope is that my work is not met with indifference, but rather that it offers some sort of intrigue. As mentioned, I really enjoy leaving it up to the viewer to determine what it is they think and feel when they see my work