We sit down with Daisy Clayton to learn more about her artistic journey.
Get to Know OC Daisy Clayton
Daisy is an Old Cokethorpean and contemporary artist from Oxfordshire. Before pursuing her art professionally in 2019, she graduated from Queen Mary University, London with a Masters Degree in Psychology. Using her background in psychology, she built upon her previous skills as a painter by focusing her interest on how a painting can make someone feel and the emotions it may evoke.
You’ve kindly donated a beautiful art piece to the Silent Art Auction, what made you want to support the School in this way?
Cokethorpe School gives me many happy memories so it’s an honour to be able to support them with a painting donation, particularly as I loved my art lessons as a student there!
Tell us about the piece
This painting is inspired by many countryside walks in the Oxfordshire area. My aim was to capture the last light of the day shining over fields with a sense of drama yet with an emphasis on tranquillity. I hoped to give the viewer a feeling of peace and stillness.
Do you have any teachers or fellow students that you feel impacted your decision to become a professional artist?
My art teacher from year 7-9 was Mr Lawson who was such an amazing teacher and I loved art lessons with him. He definitely contributed towards my passion for painting.
How did you career path progress from student to now?
I took art A level and then did my undergraduate degree in Psychology followed by a masters in Mental health and psychological therapies. I felt that my background in psychology impacted my previous paintings skills as I became interested in how a painting can make someone feel and the emotions it can evoke. Combining these approaches lead to my current style which then turned into a professional career for me as I started getting listed with galleries and publishers.
What would you tell our current students who are interested in taking the artist’s career path?
Create what you love and follow your gut with what genuinely inspires you. Once you find your creative strengths and the styles that come most naturally to you, practice these skills over and over to build a portfolio. Don’t be afraid of going wrong or failing. Every piece of art you ever create will be teaching you something and leading you to become the best artist you can be!
