Claudia Donaldson-Selby

Claudia Donaldson-Selby is a multi-media artist who's creative energy bursts onto her art in bright and vivid colors. She has had exhibitions throughout South Africa, United Kingdom, Hawaii and now California and is registered in the Smithsonian. Claudia hails from Cape Town, South Africa where she started painting and teaching art. Her background as a Remedial Therapist has given Claudia the ability to use her art as art therapy for various groups within the community and her clients with much success! Claudia's art personifies movement and each piece creates a sense of shift, albeit a set of flowing daffodils or birds flying through a tropical sunset.

Claudia's main media resides in silks, oils and fabric art which results in portraits and life studies in oils; fabric paintings as hangings and clothes; and silk hangings, cloths, screens and scarves. All her equipment over the years – in five different countries has been shipped to her by www.Dharmatrading.com
Claudia teaches a unique 'Creative Therapy' art class for groups and private clientele. She has taught art in the Cape Town, United Kingdom, Virginia And Hawaii where she now lives.

Pivotal exhibitions, 1984-2013 (List on Request)

Claudia says "I paint birds flying probably because I am always on the move to another county, and because of 6 months each year of a grey and dismal Virginia winter I started botanical paintings. This is from an article on "creativity" I wrote":
One day I discovered the mystic Henry Thomas Hamblin. In "The Message of a Flower" he said: "Look at us and observe our way of life. It is no effort for us to express divine ideas of loveliness and so reveal ourselves before your admiring gaze. We do not strive and struggle, (as I did and as do most artists I know), but we simply allow the divine Order to manifest itself through us". (p.47)
I read his little book, meditated on his ideas and the Muse rumbled.
When the creative urge stirs an overwhelming energy arrives to pour out for hours without getting tired. "There is in him (man) the divine urge which calls him to ceaseless effort and striving, to manifest …..the divine….which is imaged in the mind of his Creator."(p.71) I drew, painted in oils on canvas and yards and yards of fabric – cotton and silk. Flowers from Hawaii, endangered species, weeds, bouquets – not only copying them but painting flowers from memory – my memory and a conduit of the memories of others.
The secret is "let go" and "let God" paint. But, - if you paint because you want an Art show or to sell or for a commission that's IT.
The joy of the creation absolutely disappears. "

The Dharmatrading products used on Claudicloths and Claudicushions:
Silks: All the silks are hand painted. The silk comes from India and Bangkok and is obtainable from Dharmatrading.com and is called Habutai. Habutai comes in two thicknesses. The thicker one is 4 mom and one that is thinner and shows light and transparency is 8 mom. A dye is used and set so that the silk is completely washable (hand wash, no bleach or harsh detergents), able to be ironed with a hot iron and colorfast. When painting the silk it is suspended on a frame so that it doesn't touch the table. The dyes come from USA, France and Germany – all obtainable from Dharma.com Claudia uses Jacquard guttah ( for outlines) and dyes which are set with chemicals from Dharma, and Pebeo dyes set with heat.
Silks are easy to hang as little embroidered loops are sewn on and they can be hung on the wall with tacks or panel nails without harming the painting. If it is a garment or scarf that you would like painted it can be done for you in your choice of color, style and size.
Fabric painting:All the fabric paintings are painted on cotton with a dye/ ink that is used for T-shirt printing.-Obtainable from Dharma.com Bright, beautiful colors. The cotton is stretched out onto large table space and painted just like an artist's canvas. Claudia paints on fabric rather than canvas or board because she has travelled and worked in several countries of the world and her art can travel with her. They are set with heat and each piece is color fast, completely washable (bleach should not be used) and able to be ironed with a hot iron. These cloths are easy to hang on the wall as there are loops made of tape or embroidered through which panel nails can go so that the painting is not harmed.
Claudicushions: Each cushion is hand painted and hand sewn. They vary in size but the subject matter is all botanical. Flowers, flowers flowers. They are washable and colorfast. (no bleach)