Claire Spencer ARCA (1937-2025) was a landscape and botanical painter whose career spanned over six decades. Working primarily in the English countryside—particularly Worcestershire's hills, forests and valleys—she created paintings, drawings and works on handmade paper that combined technical excellence with environmental advocacy.
Her work asked us to pause, to look more carefully, to see the extraordinary complexity in what we might otherwise pass by. Whether capturing the light on Clent Hills, the structure of an artichoke, or the way moss colonizes a forgotten bottle, Claire's paintings revealed a deep knowledge of the English countryside and an artist's mastery of colour, form and material.
Trained at Hornsey College of Art (1954-58) and the Royal College of Art (1960-63), Claire received Italian Government scholarships to the University of Perugia and exhibited extensively throughout her career. Carel Weight, former Professor of Painting at the RCA, described her as "a most talented and original painter with a most personal feeling for landscape—a field in which she expresses herself with special distinction."
From her Worcestershire studio, Claire worked in watercolour, pastel, oils and charcoal, often heading outdoors to paint in direct communion with her surroundings. Influenced by William Morris and Henry David Thoreau, she viewed painting as both joyous celebration and meaningful action—a way of honouring natural beauty while encouraging us to protect it. Her practice encompassed not only painting but also printmaking, natural papermaking and collage, always seeking to discover what she called "the earth born character of art and creativity."
Claire believed paintings were "agents for social change"—that heightened visual awareness was key to environmental stewardship. Her work proved instrumental in conservation efforts, including the successful campaign against the Birmingham West Orbital Motorway. Her sunflowers and forest studies, her views of Worcestershire valleys and wild meadows, continue to invite viewers into a world seen with exceptional clarity and profound care.
Exhibitions
An exhibition of Claire Spencer's work will be held in Bewdley in October. Further details will be announced closer to the date.
Works
View a curated selection of Claire Spencer's paintings, drawings, and sketches spanning six decades of work.
Biography
Claire Spencer (1937–2025) studied at Hornsey College of Art and the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1963. Learn about her life and career.