Smashed Jaffa

Clara has been creating art privately for over 20 years. Fifteen years ago, she experienced an extremely traumatic event that left her with PTSD. Attempting to carry on as normal, her untreated trauma eventually manifested as severe anxiety and depression that lasted for many years.

Throughout this time, continuing to make art gave Clara a sense of purpose and identity amidst the internal chaos. With the unconditional love and support of her husband, along with medical intervention, she has been able to recover from her mental health challenges. This year, Clara finally felt brave enough to share her work with the world—first on Instagram and in local shows, with a website soon to follow.

Follow Clara on Instagram.

This piece began as an exploration of the colour orange. As my palette evolved to include shades of chocolate and vermillion, it reminded me of a jaffa sweet - broken open and transformed into something new. The embroidered elements are one of my favourite parts of the creative process. I find the slow, deliberate act of hand-stitching into my paintings to be almost meditative. My favourite detail in this piece is the copper sequins - each one handmade and secured with a French knot.