BORN: GARVIN COUNTY, OK

EDUCATION: B.A. Oklahoma College for Women, Glassell School of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX

Private Study: Joan McCrary, Oklahoma City, OK

Selected Workshops; Oklahoma Museum of Art, Oklahoma City, OK

Anderson Ranch Art Center, Snowmass Village, CO

Numerous others

ARTIST’S STATEMENT AND INSPIRATION

For me, art is an expression of the true being – or soul – of the artist. It must go beyond technique and surface presentation so as to share with the viewer that sense of wonder and mystery which one is constantly seeking to feel and understand.

My imagery is architectural, spatial, organic and spiritual, inspired primarily by the natural world around us. I seek to convey a sense of form, energy, and discipline which I gather from observations of the natural world which surrounds me.

I try to convey through my art a mood, a question, a mystery or even a doubt. I do not want to tell the whole story of what I am trying to convey; something should be left for the viewer to interpret. I hope there is always something new to be seen in a work when viewed anew.

My work is basically representational but I often use surrealism or abstraction to better emphasize or underline the imagery. Since I work in both printmaking (etching) and painting, the prints show more variation of technique than do the paintings. I also do collages which are often quite abstract.

A sample of Narrow Format etchings by LaClaire Skaggs

Narrow Format Oil paintings by LaClaire Skaggs