Clare Leighton (1898-1989)
During the course of her long life the artist Clare Leighton produced a remarkable body of work – over 840 wood engravings, twelve books that she both wrote and illustrated, as well as paintings, glass and ceramics, and celebrated lecture tours that led her to be described as “one of America’s most dynamic platform personalities.”
Whilst Leighton was able to produce finely detailed botanical engravings, she avoided the cliché of a woman artist depicting flowers and decorative motifs as a leisure activity. Not only hard-working herself, she was drawn to create images of physical labour: farmers toiling in the fields, fishermen pulling in their catch, dockhands off-loading goods, and women washing clothes or mending nets.
Whilst Leighton was able to produce finely detailed botanical engravings, she avoided the cliché of a woman artist depicting flowers and decorative motifs as a leisure activity. Not only hard-working herself, she was drawn to create images of physical labour: farmers toiling in the fields, fishermen pulling in their catch, dockhands off-loading goods, and women washing clothes or mending nets.