Meet Claire Davis | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Claire Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Claire, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I tell people that I’m an illustrator, they often assume I fall under the “starving artist” stereotype. Non-creatives assume that becoming an artist is too risky; choosing passion over stability is too risky. However, I think that in this day and age, it is the best era to be a creative. The internet makes it possible for artists to reach corners of the world that they couldn’t previously reach. Before now, there has not been an era in history where art has been this accessible to people across all backgrounds, social standings, and experiences. Who wouldn’t want to tap into that potential?

Risk doesn’t have to be negative. It doesn’t have to be a deterrent. There will always be some sense of fear at the back of your head when taking a risk. But I use that fear to light a flame for my creative motivation. Taking the risk is the reward itself because I am so passionate and so assured in the path that I’m on. I know the risks involved in pursuing illustration, so I have no choice but to work hard and let it pay off.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an advertising and editorial illustrator, which means I use my illustrations to communicate feelings and experiences faster than words can. I create art that evokes curiosity and emotional familiarity that motivates viewers to dig deeper, whether that’s about a news article, a product, or the emotional landscape within themselves.

I employ surreal imagery, thick line art, and bright, saturated color palettes to describe complex feelings and create something that hasn’t existed in the world before. My work is very stylized and graphic to reject naturalism and in turn communicate the oftentimes abstract human experience.

I prefer to work in this style because even though I can technically draw a realistic illustration of a person or an object, why would I expend that effort to create something that already exists and that I can see with my own two eyes? I’d rather employ my skill as an artist and use this graphic style to make something that exists in my head into something real. In a previous interview, I stated that artistry is alchemy. Throughout all steps, artists embrace the magical process of transformation and creation. There is power in imagining and feeling an emotion or an experience, and then using my hands to physically craft that into something observable and impactful. That is what my art means to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As an artist, it is crucial to me to live a full human experience, which means making sure all of the senses are engaged. Being a native to Los Angeles, this is very easy to achieve. We’ll start with a light breakfast at a bakery in the La Crescenta area called Berolina, where you can get authentic Belgian waffles covered in powered sugar and strawberries. It’s the perfect place to engage with a local community and avoid the obvious tourist spots. Up the street is Montrose Shopping District which is the local neighborhood main street. On Sundays, there is a farmers’ market where we can fresh produce, which will probably be some of the best produce an out-of-towner will try. LA’s proximity to the Central Valley makes such a difference in the quality of food that we get here.

After perusing the market, we can head to lunch at Guisado’s in Burbank as their tacos filled with marinated and spiced meats embody the rich Mexican culture of LA. The cochinita pibil taco is my favorite because it engages my sense of taste to the extreme with its spice level. You can head over to Brand Park nearby afterwards to enjoy the peaceful scene of its Japanese Garden and koi pond. I’m a major proponent of making sure to get my vitamin D in the sunlight, so you will often find me frequenting the many parks in the LA area. It seems simple, but it is quite meditative to consciously feel the warm California sun on your skin, the grass beneath your feet and enjoy the scent of the flowers and plants that thrive here.

You can end the day at Bacari at the Glendale Americana for some happy hour drinks and tapas. The wait staff is ready to engage into foodie conversation about the highlights of the menu while you can also people-watch the mall-goers pass by. The Americana offers a much more lowkey tourist experience as opposed to its counterpart, the Grove that exists in the epicenter of Hollywood. This itinerary embodies my perfect local, authentic LA day-in-the-life.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents always instilled the idea that a creative career is a legitimate way to reach success, not only for internal fulfillment, but financially too. I went to art school with fellow classmates that expressed their parents’ lack of support in their choice of career and it always makes me thankful that my parents are the opposite. When it comes to finding success in a creative field, like illustration, mindset is everything. If you believe that it is too difficult to find success in creativity, then it will be too difficult. However, this way of thinking never pervaded my sense of self as an artist, and that’s thanks to my parents. Everyone’s parents want them to be financially successful and independent, but I’m fortunate enough that my parents care about finding success internally by pursuing what I really love, and learning how to find financial success from that.

Website: https://clairedavisillu.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairedavisillu/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-davis-illu