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My name is Claire Marie. I am a full-time surfboard artist based in Western Australia.

Why is my work different? I take old surfboards that have had their time out in the ocean and are destined for the landfill, and I create pieces of art from them. The boards are custom hand-painted pieces, and these are upcycled secondhand surfboards, sealed for display only!

It’s the small details in the artwork that make each commissioned surfboard unique and personal! They can evoke memories of a certain place and have a special meaning with the recipient. The surfboard itself holds its own memories from the time it has spent out in the waves. So by commissioning an upcycled surfboard, you are not only saving these boards and giving them a second life, but you are enabling these memories to live on!

Each board has a small handwritten note on the back, which gives a little insight into the story of the board and the artwork.

More info: Facebook | Instagram | clairemarieartist.com | Twitter

I have always known that I wanted to be an artist. I loved art in school, attended art college and then studied visual art and art history at university level. I first started out painting on furniture and painting murals when my children were small. My work and business then progressed to doing custom hand-painted shoes under the business name The Little Treasure Company. I was then asked to paint a surfboard and I haven’t looked back.

I received a message from someone who asked me whether I had ever painted on a surfboard and whether I would consider doing it. I thought I would take on the challenge to paint a larger canvas and after I had finished the artwork and posted it on my social media, it had such a great response and so many inquiries that soon I had to stop painting shoes to fully concentrate on surfboards. Not only is it a very different canvas to paint on but as I aim to make my art practice as sustainable as possible, each board I paint is being saved from potentially ending up in a landfill.

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Each board that I paint is usually a personalized commissioned piece using reference photos and ideas supplied by the client. Every board has a lot of detail so each artwork takes at least 100 hours to complete with more complex boards taking longer.

I think the most challenging aspect of the creative process for me is finding the quiet time to paint. Once I get into the zone, I can paint for hours and so I love the time I am not disturbed which is sometimes hard to get when my studio is at home. I love painting details. I love being able to add those small personalized details to an artwork. I find it so liberating to work on a large canvas but I still love to get the tiny paintbrushes out and indulge my passion for detail.

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I love every bit of the process of painting. From the concept sketch, through to the end result. I experience a sense of accomplishment when I complete a work, but it is the love of the creative process and the reactions and feedback that I receive from clients that drive my passion for my work. 

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